/ERS1TY   ] 


IM:  WALTON; 


OB, 


nil-  lll-r.l-L  nl-  DORCHESTER, 


BY  W.  GILMORE  SIMMS, 

\iiiiin  >  i  \i  \--i  i  ."  "in!     r  \  i;  i  i  -  \  N,"   "  M  i  i  i  1 1  ii  \  Mi'i  , 


•  \  1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 « •  1 1 1 * \v 
Should  Itf  tin-  Lit  ll<  i  i  n.u-'Mii." 

KING  HKNHI  i  HI:  I  v. 


and  tLlcoiscd  uditiou. 


OMl 

DONOHl'I:,   H!:.NM:HI:R1<Y  &  CO- 


GENERAL 


PHINTKD  AND  BOUND  BY 

DONOHUL  <t  HENNEBERRY 

CHICAGO. 


KATHARINE  WALTON. 


CHAPTER   I. 


<)i  it  story  opens  r.uly  in    Septemher,  in  the   eventful  \rar  of 
A     .-riran    revolutionary    history,   one    thousand    seven    hundu-d 
ami    eighty.       Our    swi;r    is    one    destined    to    afford    ahundant 
lor  the  purposes  of  the  future  romancer.      It  lies  chiefly 
D  the  hanks  of  the  Ashley  ,  in  South  Carolina,  a  region  which, 
at  this   period,  was  almost    entirely  covered    hy  the   anus  <.f  tho 
fo-ei^n    eneniv.      In    previous   narratives,  as  well    as   in  the    his- 
;!1  he  found  the  details  of  his  gradual  etMiijuest-.  and  no 
one  need  he  told  of  the  events    following  the  fall  of  Charleston, 
and    terminating   in  the  defeat  of  (leneral  (I;r 
whi«  ;,  tlie  hojies  of  patiiotism,  as  W(dl  as  theetioits 

of  valor  which  aimed  at  the  recovery  of  the  country  from  h* 
domination,    were    humhled,    if   not    wholly    overthrown. 

<ern    lihrratin^    army    was    tiMiijiorarily    di-pei>ed.    rail 
•  !y  to  their  .standards  in  the  wildernesses  of  North  Carolina; 
few  in    immher,  miserahly    clad,  and    almost    totally    \\  anting    in 
the    means  ;md    appliances   of  war.      Tin-  victory  of  tl,, 

:isid«-red   complete.      It  was  distiniriiislied    hv 

their   usual    laClifioe*.      Many   of  their   prisoners  w.  ;ted 

upon   the  >j»ot,  montlv  upon  the  smallest    pretexts  and    the    ni"st 
•  juestionahle   testimony.       Th.'-e,   sacrifices    were    d  ••  hat 


0  KATHAlil.NK    \V.\1., 

to  tlu>  requisitions  of  the.  loyalists,  to  the  excited  passions  of  the 
conquerors,  and,  in  sonic  degree,  to  their  own  scorn  of  the  vic 
tims,  lint  one  of  those  decreed  for  sacrifice  had  made,  his  es 
cape,  rescued,  in  the  moment  of  destined  execution,  hy  a  most 
daring  and  unexpected  onslaught  of  a  small  body  of  partisans, 
led  hy  a  favonta  leader.  Colonel  Richard  Walton,  a  gentleman 
of  great  personal  worth,  of  considerable  wealth,  and  exercising 
much  social  influence,  had,  under  particular  circumstances,  and 
when  the  state  was  believed  to  be  utterly  lost  to  the  confederacy, 
taken  what  was  entitled  "  British  protection."  This  was  a 
parole,  insuring  him  safety  and  shelter  beneath  the  protection 
of  the  conqueror,  so  long  as  he  preserved  his  neutrality.  It 
was  some  reproach  to  Colonel  Walton  that  ho  had  taken  this 
protection  ;  but,  in  the  particular  circumstances  of  the  case, 
there  was  much  to  extenuate  his  offence.  With  his  justification, 
however,  just  at  this  moment,  we  have  nothing  to  do.  It  is 
enough  that  the  violation  of  the  compact  between  the  citi/.en 
and  the  conqueror  was  due  to  the  British  commander.  In  the 
emergency  of  invasion,  at  the  approach  of  the  continental  arms, 
the  securities  of  those  who  had  taken  protection  were  withdrawn 
by  proclamation,  unless  they  presented  themselves  in  the  British 
ranks  and  took  up  arms  under  the  banner  of  the  invader.  Com 
pelled  to  draw  the  sword,  Colonel  Walton  did  so  on  the  side  of 
the  country.  He  fell  into  the  hands  of  Cornwallis  at  the  fatal 
battle  of  Caindrn  ;  and,  steadily  refusing  the  overtures  of  tin' 
British  general  to  purge  himself  of  the  alleged  treason  by  taking 
iiiniission  in  tin-  service  of  the  conqueror,  he  was  ordered  to 
execution  at  Dorchoter,  in  the,  neighborhood  of  his  estates,  and 
a>  MII  example  of  terror  to  the  surrounding  country.  He  was 
;ed  at  the  foot  of  the,  gallows,  from  the  degrading  death 
which  had  been  decreed  him.  Hy  a  well-planned  and  desperate 
enterprise,  led  by  Major  Singleton,  a  kinsman,  he  was  plucked 
from  the.  clutches  of  the  executioner  ;  and  the  succes>tul  ell'ort 
was  still  farther  distinguished  by  the  almost  total  annihilation 
of  the  strong  guard  of  the  British,  which  had  left  the  garrison  at 
Dorchester  to  escort  the  victim  to  the  latal  tree. 

The  beautiful  hamlet  of  Dorchester  was  partially  laid  in  a  hen 
during   tlu'  short   nut    saiig'iinury  conflict;    and,  before  reinforcor 


ments  could  AIT1V6  from  tin-  fortified  po-t  -it  the  place,  tlic  parti- 
had  melted  away,  like  so  manv  shadows,  into  (he  swamp! 

nt'  I  he  neighboring  cy  press,  carrying  with  them,  in  safety,  their 
'.M-d  captive.  'Hie  occurrence  had  heen  one  rather  to 
:e  the  invader  than  to  disturh  his  securities.  It 

not    le.-s  an  indignity  than   a  hurt  ;   and,  taking   place,  as  it    .lid, 

within  twenty  miles  of  the   garrison  of  Charleston,  it  denoted   a 

Be  of  audacity,  on  the  part  i)i'  the  rehels,  which  particularly 

called  lor  the  acti\e  VOngl  ance  of  the  invader,  as  an  insult    and 

.race  to  his  arms. 

l')iit  if  the  mortification  <»f  Major    Proctor,  l.y  whom    ll.. 
at    DoTchi  -  held,  was  peat,  still  greater  was   the  1  i, 

Colonel    Baltour,   the   commandant    of  Charleston.      The   intelli- 

•  reached  him.  hy  express,  at  midnight  of  the  day  of  the 
affair,  and  roused  him  from  the  grateful  slumhcrs  .if  a  life  which 
had  hitherto  heen  fortunate  in  tin;  acquisition  of  everv  desired 
Indulgence,  and  from  dreams  holding  forth  the  most  deli< 

f  that  nliiim  rum  tlixnitun-  which  was  in  the  contemjila- 
tion  ol'  all  his  toils.  To  he  aroused  to  such  intelligence  as  ii.-.il 
heen  brOUglil  him,  was  t<>  denv  him  both  leisure  and  respect  — 
nay,  to  invol\-e  him  in  p"»ilde  f'»rfeit»ire  of  the  ;  M  •>{' 

•Ahich,  he  well  knew,  \\rie  of  donhtfnl    tei 
only,  and    i-a>ily  determined    hy  a  run  of  snch  that 

ii    he    was    now    required    to    contemplate.      Wt     I'-alt'oiir.  in 
reality,  had  nothing  with  \\liich  to  reproach  himself  in  the  affair 
at    Dorcbest  r.      No  hlame.  whether  of  omission  or  pen 
c-udd  he   charged    npon  him,  making   him   liable   to  reproach  for 

misfortune.      He    had  no  reason  to   m 
don    in    command   at    Camden.  and    Cornwall!-,  Luf    recently 

I  OVei  Gatet,  with  the  ^reat   l.ody  of  the   I'-rit 

every    COnBpicUOlU    p-int    in    the    country,  that    any  sinal! 
part;.  |fl  should    prove  s»  dai; 

snatch  the  prey  from  ti 
had,  !ioue\er,  doi  • 

lieutena.it  rej.eatii:;.:   ti  uj.on    the  A-l. 

Thon^h    really  not    to    Maine.  l',.,l!..;;i    \  et   \ery  w«dl    knew  liow 

re  \vere  the  jud-ments  \\lii«  h.  in  ( 
i1    upon  tlu>    np-fortunes   Of   f.«,'  •     i  -in 


8  KATMAIMNK    \V\I.To\. 

America  Ho  had  no  reason  to  douht  tliat  in  his  case,  as  corn 
monly  in  that  of  others,  his  superiors  would  he  apt  to  cast  upon 
tho  subordinate  the  responsibilities  of  every  mischance.  It  if 
true  that  he  might  oiler  good  defence.  He  could  show  that,  in 
order  to  strengthen  his  army  against  dates,  Cornwallis  hail 
•tripped  the  city  of  nearly  all  its  disposable  force,  leaving  him 
nothing  hut  invalids,  and  a  command  of  cavalry  not  much  more 
than  sufficient  to  scour  the  neighborhood,  hring  in  supplies,  ami 
furnish  escorts.  Dorchester  had  heen  shorn  of  its  garrison  fur 
the  same  reason  l>y  the  same  officer.  The  reproach,  if  any,  lay 
at  the  door  of  Cormvallis.  Yet  who  would  impute  Maine  to  the 
successful  general,  who  oilers  his  plea  while  yet  his  trumpets 
are  sounding  in  every  ear  with  the  triumphal  notes  of  a  great 
victory  /  Success  is  an  argument  that  effectually  stops  the 
mouth  of  censure.  To  fasten  the  reproach  upon  another,  hy 
whom  no  plea  of  good  fortune  could  he  offered,  was  the  policy 
of  lialfour;  and  his  eye  was  already  turned  upon  the  victim. 
J»ut  this,  hereafter.  For  the  present,  his  task  was  to  repair,  if 

ihle,  the,  misfortune;  to  recover  the  freed  rebel  ;  to  put 
Dorchester  in  a  hetter  state  to  overawe  the  surrounding  country, 
and  make  himself  sure  in  his  position  hy  timely  reports  of  (he 
affair  to  his  superiors;  hy  which,  showing  them  where  the  fault 
might  he  imputahle.  to  themselves,  while  studiously  imputing  it 
to  Another,  he  should  induce  them  to  such  an  Adoption  of  his 
views  as  should  silence  all  representations  which  might  he  hurt 
ful  to  his  own  security. 

All  these  meditations  passed  rapidly  through  the  hrain  of 
Balfbnr,  as  he  made  his  midnight  toilet.  When  he.  came  forth, 
bis  plans  were  all  complete.  A-  •  »•  are  destined  to  BOG  much 
more  of  this  personage  in  the  progTCtt  of  our  narrative,  it  will 
not  he  unwise,  in  this  place,  to  dwell  somewhat  more  particu- 
larl  v  upon  the  mental  and  moral  nature  of  the  man.  At  the  period 
of  which  \v«-  write,  he  was  in  the  vigor  of  his  years.  He  had 
krjit  well,  to  borrow  the  idiom  of  another  people,  ami  was  alto 
gether  a  very  fine  specimen  of  physical  manhood.  With  an 

'  person,  fully  six  feet  in  height,  hroad-chested,  and  athletic; 
with  cheeks  unwrinklcd.  a  skin  clear  and  florid  ;  eyes  lar^e, 


i.i ._ 


rJiiseled,  lio  was  altogether   a   person  to  impose  at   a  jrlaiico,  and 

almost  penRUutef  without  further  examination,  to  the  conviction 

of  generous  impulses,  if  not  a  commanding  intellect,  as  the  nat 
ural    concomitants   of  so  much   that    is   p:  ;^  in   the  ex- 
lerior.      Hut    Hal  tour  was  a  man  of  neither  mind  nor  heart.      In 
ordinary  affairs,  ho    was   sufficiently   shrewd   and   searching.      It 
.  certainly  to  delude  him.  where  his  selfish  interests 
\\erc    at    all    at    issue.      In    the    mere    details  of  hi;  was 
methodical   and  usually  correct  ;   hut  he  neither  led  nor  planned 
an   enterprise;   and,  while   ahle  in  civil    matters  to  carry  out  the 
!    others,  it  is  not    seen    that  he  ever  counselled  or   e<>n- 
cei\ed    an    impro\  ement.      His    pas-ions  were   more    active    than 
his   mind,  yet    they  r.ever   impelled    him  to  courageous    perform  - 
ance.      He  was  a  carpet  knight,  making  a  famous  figure  al v 
on    parade,  and,  in  the   sjdciidid  uniform  of  his   regiment,  really 
a   magnificent    person  —  in    tin-    l.ui^u.-iLre   of  a    l.idy  who    K 
him  well,  "as  splendid    as  Bcarlct,  £old    lace,  and  feathers,  could 
make   a  man."      Hut    he   never  distinguished   himself  in   action. 
Indeed,  the    record    is   wanting    which  would    show    that    he    had 
been    in   action.       That    he   should    have    risen  to  his   hiirh 
station,  as  second  in  command  of  the  Hritish  army  in  South  Car- 
olina  —  for  such  was  his   rank  —  mi^lit    reasonal.ly  provoke   our 
surprise,  hut  that  the  record  which  fails  to  tell  Us  of  his  ach! 
incuts    in    hattle,  is    somewhat    more    c<»pi.iu>    in    other    mar 
li        method    of   rising    into    power  was    am«»:i^    the    repTOJ 
ui^ed  against  him.      His  oli>e<|uious   devotedne->s  to  the    hir 
and     jili-aMire-.  —  \\  e    may    safely    say     VlCQt  —  of    Sir     William 
Houe,  lii>!    gained    him    position,  and    finally  led    to   his   jire>ent 
appointment.      In   the   capacity   of  commandant    at    Charleston, 
hU    arn-^ance                      insiitlerahle.       His  vai'  ' 
hern  in  due  decree  with  the  servility  which  he  hail  heen  f 
to   show  in  the   acquisition  of  his   objoctft,       !!••    could    enact 
C'jip-»ite  jihases  in  the  character  of  his  countryman.  Sir  Per:' 
[•hant,    without    an    HH»rt    at     transition- —  /•"»    witi 
fihame   or  SCUM-  of  degradation,  and   command  without 
Or   M'nPe   of  veli'-n-vpcct.       In    conn-rl,  he    was   at    < 
and  self-opinionated.      In  the  exercise  of  i                   •  rm-nt.  he     !•• 
•Orbed  all    the  powers  of  the  state.      "  P,y  the    ml  I 


10  KATI1  \KI\K    WALTON. 

Ramsay,  "  of  evei y  trace  of  the  popular  government,  without 
any  proper  c-ivil  establish  me  III  ill  its  place,  he,  with  a  few  co 
adjutors,  assumed  and  exercised  legislative. judicial  and  executive 
powers  over  citizens  in  the  same  manner  as  over  the  common 
soldiery."  He  was  prompt  to  anger,  obdurate  in  punishment, 
t  i  ivolons  in  his  exactions,  and  hloatcd  with  the  false  consequences 
of  a  position  which  he  had  reached  through  meanness  and  ex- 
eicised  without  dignity.  Feared  and  hated  by  his  inferiors, 
''rspised  by  his  equals,  and  loved  by  few,  if  any,  lie  was  yet 
•  •ne  of  that  fortunate  class  of  persons  whom  an  inordinate  but 
accommodating  self-esteem  happily  assures  and  satisfies  in  every 
situation.  (Iratilying  his  favorite  passions  at  every  step  in  his 
•  ress,  lie  probably  found  no  reason  to  regret  the  loss  of  aflee- 
tions  that  he  had  never  learned  to  value  and  never  cared  to  win. 
I'tterly  selfish,  his  mind  had  nevertheless  never  risen  to  the  ap 
preciation  of  those  better  treasures  of  life  and  of  the  heart  which 
the  noble  nature  b-arns  to  pri/e,  beyond  all  others,  as  by  a  nat 
ural  instinct.  His  sympathies  were  those  only  ot  the  sensual 
temperament.  His  desires  were  those  of  the  voluptuary.  He 
an  unmarried  man,  and  his  habits  wore  those  of  anv  other 
gay  Lothario  of  the  army.  The  warm  tint*  i.pon  his  check 
were  significant  of  something  more  than  vulgar  health;  and  the 
liqnid  softness  of  his  eye  was  indicative  of  habits  such  as  were 
admitted  not  to  be  among  the  worst  traits  of  that  passionate 
Roman  whose  world  was  lost  probably  quite  as  much  by  wine  as 
h»ve.  Balfour  was  not  the  person  to  forfeit  ///.v  world  through 
either  of  these  passions,  tllOUgh  he  too  freely  and  frequently 
indulged  in  both.  He  possessed  vet  others  which  Mark  Antony 
does  tot  .seem  to  have  Chared,  or  not  in  large  degree;  and  his 
avarice  ami  hi-'  .if  power  were  the  rods,  like  tho-e  of  Aaron, 
which  kept  all  others  in  subjection.  Hut  we  have  lingered 
sufficiently  long  upon  his  portrait.  Knough  has  been  said  and 
shown  to  furnish  all  the  clews  to  his  character.  Let  us  now  see 
to  his  perfonn.v 

In  a  short  period  after  receiving  his  advices  from    l>orchesier 
Balfour  was    prepared   l'"r    ':  His    secretary  was  so.-u   ii. 

•-bed  in  various  quartern  in 
>earch  of  the    o::  cer.s  whom  he  had    summoned    to  his    morning 


OLD    -nl.MKIl*  II 


conference  Hi1  occupied,  na  "  He  ni<|iiaiters."  tli.-it  nohle  old 
mansion,  .-still  remaining  in  tin1  lower  part  of  Kii 

rleston,    known    as    numher    </<•/•<•//.      At    that    period    it    he- 

Miles  iuewton.     Subsequently,  il  !•«•• 

tin-  property  of  Colonel  William  Allston,  in  whose  family  it  stiil 
remains.  Uut  with  Balfour  as  it*  tenant,  the  proprietorship 
mi:;ht  fairly  he  assumed  to  he  wholly  in  himself;  (1  6  term  ill  able 
only  in  the  event,  n->w  scarcely  anticipated  hy  tin-  invader,  nf 
the  •  hein;r  recovered  hy  the  arms  ..!'  the  Amei  i- 

With  hi-  ,red  at  the  ta'hie,  his  j.en  rapidly  con 

nvc  r  the  sherts  under  tlie  diction  of  his  snjierinr,  Halfoiir  tn»«l 
the  ajiavtnuMit  —  the  southi'ast  chamher  in  the  second  story  — 
in  evident  impatience.  At  times,  he  hurried  to  the  front  win- 
h»\\>,  \\hieli  were  all  oju-j,,  and  looketl  t-Mth.  as  any  unusual 
MUD!'  iietnrnin^.  he  utteicd  sentence  after 

5«'ntenc«-  of  insti-iiction,  and    ji;in>ed    mily  to   njijirnai-h    tin- 
hoard    and  iciieu    his  draught  of  <dd  Madeira,  a  li.ittle  of  \\hich 
had  !  •  ••cretaiy  ca:ue.      At   h" 

t«-  the  relief  of  hi^>  impatience,  the  sonnd  of  a  carri  ..  ar.l 

rolling   to  the  door,  and    the  soldier   in    attendance    looked    in  to 

announce 
"Colonel  Cruuen." 

vv  him    in."  was    the    reply  ;    and,  the    next    iii"i:.''iit,  tlie 
n  thus    named  made  his   appearance,  and  was  welcomed  in 
proper  trims  hy  the  commandant,  who.  tin  nin^;  to  the 

!y  examined   what    he    had  written,  as   hastih  .    his 

itnre.  and.  in  h»\\  « 
him  instructions  in  what  manner  t.»  dUp<.«-  of  the  papr 

"  l.t-a\c  u>  HOW,*1  said    Halfoiir.  "hut   he  not    far;     1 
you    shoitly.      N'i    mon    lleep    to  ;.i.-!if  ;     lememher   that.      "l      . 
may  he';  :he  \\ine;    it    ma\-  a--i^t     \  »\\    in 

Hie    voun^    man    did    no»    scruple    t.)    emplov    the 
••d  him.      He  drank  the  uine,  am1,  >\ith  a  lm\'. 

"  L.-t  us  drink,  also.  Cruden,"  N\  IT,  the 

moment  the    \  ; 

stimulus  neeeaflarji  particularly  when  the  matter  is  a> 
U  truuhlehomc.      Come,  ih  :V«.Mi   the  cellar  of  ..],] 


Jii  K.\T!i.\i:i\i:   IfALTON. 


f,aurens.  some  time  president  of  (^on^re-s.  He  In  I  a  trnet 
taste  for  Madeira  than  p'.litics.  There  is  no  better  to  lie  loim.l 
in  all  tlio  city.  Tome." 

"But  what  is  this  business  which  calls  us  up  at  this  unsea 
sonable  hour  ?" 

Something  in  your  way,  I  fancy.  But  first  let  me  .ongrat- 
ulatt  you  on  your  appointment.  As  agent  for  sequestrated  es 
tates,  you  should  soon  he  a  millionaire." 

"  There  certainly  oii^ht  to  lie  good  pickings  where  rebellion 
n.is  been  so  fruitful,"  said  tlie  other. 

"  Surely  ;   and  in  possession  of  the  fine  mansion  of  that  prenm- 

Hire  rebel,  CoteflWOfth   Pinckney  —  decidedly  tlu>  finest  house  in 

('amlina  —  y.,u  are  already  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  pleasant  fore- 

of   what  must  follow.     The  house,  of  course,  will  lemaiti 

,'our  own." 

"  I  Mipp<»e  so,  if  the  state  is  not  reconquered." 

And  have  you  any  fears  of  this,  after  the  defeat  of  that  sen- 

ii'HMiuJ   liero,  (Jates,  at    ('amden?      That   allair  seems  to  settle 

question.      These  people  are  effectually  crushed  and  rowt  d, 

and  Congress  can  never  raise  another  army.      The  militia  of  the 

Middle  states  and  the  south  are  hy  no  means  numerous,  and  they 

want    everything   as   well   as   arms.      The    New-Kn^landers   no 

longer  take  tlie   field,  now  that   the  war  lias  left  their  own  hol 

ders  ;   and,  come  what  may.  it   is  very  clear  that  the   Carolinas, 

.  and    Florida,   must   still    remain   the   colonies  of  (I  real 

Britain.      In    that    event,   a   peace   which   even    yields   indepen 

dence  to  the  more  northern  provinces,  will  «rive  nothing  to  then-  : 

and  my  faith  in   the  ////-/I/M-/.-//V/.V  principle    makes  me  quite  easy 

with  regard  to  my  possessions." 

And  he  looked  ruiind  upon  the  pleasant  apartment  which  ho 
occupied  with  the  air  of  a  man  peifectly  satisfied  with  the  archi 
tectural  proportions  of  his  building. 

"  I  am  j^lad  to  hear  you  in  this  pleasant  vein.  From  your 
impatient  summons,  I  had  thought  the  devil  was  to  p«y." 

"  And    so   he   is."  said    the    commandant,  suddenly    becoming 
the   devil    to  pav.  indeed  ;    and    I  am  sorry  to  tell   you 
that  your  kinsman.  Proctor.  i«  in  dan^rr  of  sharp  censure,  if  not 
A  loss  of  his  commission." 


OLD    SOUMKIfc- 

"Ha!" 

"lie  has  nearh  sufl'ered  the  surpnvt    ..    Ins  post     Fufiere<l  »im 
malignant   Waltn.i   to  be  snatched   from  his  clutches  on  the  way 
edition,  half  of  his  men  to  hi-  cut  to  pieces,  and  Dorchesta 
burnt   to  ashe>   ' 

"  You  confound  me  !*' 

"  It  is  to.,  true.  There  is  his  own  despatch,  which,  of  course, 
makes  tlic  best  of  it." 

lie   pointt-d  to  the  table  where  lay  a  couple  of  letters  with 
the  seals  hoth  broken;   and  Cniden  was  about  to  place  his  hand 
on  one  of  them,  when  his   grasp  was   prevented,  rather   precipi 
tately,  by  that  of  Hal  four. 

-lay;   that  is  not  the  despatch.      Here  it  is,"  giving  the-  one 
letter,  and   carefully   thrusting   the   other  into   his   pocket,      Hut 

en  had  already  seen  the  Superscription,  which  bore  the   1 
vhestei   stamp  also,      lie  made  no  comment,  however.  <>n  tin 
eunistance,  and  forbore   all  inquiry,  while   he   proceeded   to  ' 
the  despatch  of  Major  I'roctor,  to  whom  the  po>t  at    D   rrh. 
and  the  contiguous  country  had  been  c<inlided. 

itainly  a  most  unfortunate  allair  ;    but   I  do  n<>: 

how  Trortor  i.s  to  blame..      He  seems  to  have  doilC  «-verythiu^  in 
liis  p. 

"That    is   1  .      I    hope  so,  for  your  sake  no  less   than 

his.      liut  it  is  a  matter  of  too  serious  a  kind  not  to  demand  keen 
and  searching  imjuiry." 

"  Proctor  had  no  more  than  seventy  men  at  the  post.  Corn- 
wallis  stripped  him  of  all  that  could  be  spared  ;  and  more,  it 
seems,  than  it  I  '  >  spare." 

My  dear   friend,  you   are  just  in  the    receipt  of    a    hand 
appointment    /nun    ('mnwallis.      H'-wran    \  ou    mppOSO*  til    ' 
fihould  rir  in    a  military  calculation  of  th  i. 

that  the   kin^r  of  '  .  'aiu  can  i  • 

the  very  moment  which  brings  him  a  . 

It  is  impossible  !      dune,  let    us   rep!  u'n  filled 

the    glasses.       Cruden    drank,    but    deliberately  ;    and    while    tho 
goblet  was  yet  unfinished,  ;  — 

"I  see,  Balfour,  my  kin;  man  is  to 

"  Nay,  not  so;    we  shall  give  him  e\ery  opp.»rtuni';. 


M  K  »THABINE    WALTON. 

himself.  ()n  in,  honor,  lie  shall  not  IK-  pressed  to  the  wall. 
Hut  yon  MM-  for-  \ourself  that  the  attair  is  an  unlucky  one —  a 
mo>t  unlucky  one — just  at  this  juncture  " 

"  Aini  J'roctor  .such  a  good  fellow —  really  a  noble  fellow." 
"  Admitted;    aii.l   yet,  between  us.  iTiideii,  he    has   been  par 
ticularly  unfortunate,  I    tear,  in  allowing   his  ail'eetions  to  he  en- 
ed    liy  the  daughter  of  this  very  rebel.  Walton;    who  is    :  »t 
without   attraction  ring  her  va>t    eM.r  0   is   m,,r« 

than  good-looking,  I  hear  —  indeed,  Kitty  Harvey  teiU  me  that 
She  was  quite  a  !"•  Moil  is  not  willing  to  g<-  M> 

far.  hut   says   she    wa>  1-looking.      Now,  these,   charms, 

in  addition  to  .some  two  or  th.re"  hundred  slaves,  and  a  most  ha- 
ronial  landed  estate,  ha\ c  proved  too  much  i'or  your  nej)hew  ; 
and  the  tear  is  that  he  has  shown  himself  quite  too  indulgent  — 
iiidi-f.i,  a  little  wilfully  careless  and  remiss;  and  to  this  remiss- 
ne>s  the  rehi'l  owes  his  e.-.cajie." 

"  '1  lii>   is   a  veiy  >lmclxiii^   Mispii-i«ni,  lialfour;    and    not    t«»    he 
I'eporled  or  repeated  v  ithmr,  the  he.st  of  testimony.      John  J 'roc- 
tor   is   «ne  of  the   movt    honorable    men    living.      There  does  not 
PCein  to  have    been  any  re.missm-ss.      These,  jiartisans  of  Sii 
ton  were   surely  unexpected  ;   and  when    1'roctor   sends  out  half 

of  kin  disposable  force  t«»  »-M-.irt  tiu-  rebel  to  execution,  one  would 

ihink  he  had    furnished  quite,  as  large  a  guard  as  was  requisite." 

.  under   ordinary  circumstances,  it    would   seem  ;    and    vet 

"did    this   party  of  rebels,  though    led    by  a   notoriously 

daring   fellow,  find    the   audacity  t"  attack    such    a   guard  within 

sight    .>{'  the   fort re.s.s.  5u   midday,  mil'  ;Iy   cmiscious  that 

th.e.   ehaiK-f.s   favored   him    in   an    extraordinary    manner/      Mind 

you.  now,  1  .say  nothing  of  my  o\\  n  head.      1  give  you  only  the 

•  |    J  "it  to  be 
lieve   that   1    keep   my  judgment  in  n  uclusivo 

evtde 

"  1    don't    doubt    that    PrOCtor  will    acquit  himself   before  any 

..y  farther  advices  —  no  letters/" 

:ie   that    ;•  this   all'ah,"  was   the    rather   hesitating 

reply. 

"  And  what  is  it.  Hal  four,  for  whbh  you  want  me  now  I" 

'    A  c.i   :   "f  your  ollice,  i/mn  ,uni.      \   wish  to  allord  you  an  op 


Id 

your    ne\\     vocation, 
must    accompany    me    to    1  )<Mrli>'-trr   thi-  >.      line    i>   a 

memorandum    of  particulars.      Take    v«Mir    .-ecietary    with 
'I'ln  of  this   rehel  Walton   arc    to  '"•^'"1  You 

iliall  take  tin-in  in  charge  and  administer  them.      Lands, 
I'.UM',  furniture,  man  ->ei  vant  and  maid-servant,  nx   and  a>s.  and 
inch    an    eojiiipaue    as   you  will    srairt-ly  tiud    an y  \\  licrc '  in  tin- 
li?&      I  am  t«dd  that  tlu^  Mailcira  in  Walton'-  !  tin- 

•  Idr.xt  in  tlu-  c-ounti-y.      licincinluT,  there  inu>t  he  a  lair  division 
'//  .spoil.      I  have  not  insisted  upon  your  merits  t<>  ('ornwal- 
lis   j,,  1,,.  denied   my  reward.      !V>ides.  the   stud  of  this   rehel    i.s 
to  l,(.    a  iMajrniliivut    one.      I    know  that    Tarletun    itdinl  to 
liiul  a  plea  I'-.r  layii:-  hands  upon  his  hl«.o(h-d  li..|--.  \.      nuiist 

i.liare  them  aK",  Cni'len.      1    am  hy  no  mean- 
'•t(n-k,  and  mn-t  recruit    and    siippl\    mv>ell'.      The: 
'hree   hundred    nr^roe>,  an    im:.  1    .1  rp,|, 

:.out  to  he  harvested.      You  will    he  .secure  .,f  i 
of'  tlii-  trea-ure,  anvhow,  e\cn    should   you  tind  an  heir   tor  it  in 
y«iur  nej/ 

'1'his   la.sf    .sentence  was  said  with   a  smile,  whii-li   (Vuden   did 
iy  leli.sh.      There  was  much  in  what   l'all'..ur  had  sp- 

give  him    pleasure.      Cruden.  like  the 
'er   nuinher  (1f  hi-  Idiers.  was   ai,  -p.»il    the 

'.  '         Mind  and  devourii, 

that  of  P.alt'.T.r.  and  hi-  '.  -  ;  hut  he  had  atVec;. 

and    s\  in jiatliie-.    -n»  h    a-    are    gnitoftll    to    humaniis.      Jj.- 
proiid  of  his   iM-phew.  \\|I..M-    -men .us  and    hra\c   <jualiti.  -    had 
done    h"HMi-   t..    t!:eir  connection  ;    and    he  was  n»t   willii 
him  sacrificed  Without  an  ei;«it.      This  In-  clearlv   )  • 

ui-'>    present    nhject.      Why,  he    did    not  care    to    kn-.w.       It 
was  (Miou-h  that    lio   n\sol\ . 

'   his  j.ui  j 

Wi-  need  n.,t  follow  the  iarther  o>ntere:irfl  oi't;  . 
paiiions.      It  WM  "f  a  kind   to  interest   tl-«-  \\'i-h 

».he  lirst  glimpses  <if  the  !,-n  t-»-k  hi-  .irpa,  ' 

to  hasten  his    pi  ,-parat ions  tor   the  contemplated  j«nm:e-. 

.  having  uriveii  all  hi-  •inlers.  tlin-w  him-.-lf  nj  .md 

•  as  soundly  as  it'  lie  had  on! 


18  KATHAKlNi:    WALTON. 


C1I  A  I'TER    II, 

SOCIAL    STABBING. 

Tin-:  Mare  «>f  trumpets  heneath  his  windows,  announcing  thr 

readiness  oj'his  cavalry  to  inarch,  found  lialfuur  at  tlie  conclusion 

of  a   late   hivakfasl.      He  was  soon  in  the  saddle,  and   aceompa- 

nie-d   hv   his  friend   Crudcn,   followed    l.y   some   inferior  oilirer* 

This  party  rode  on  sl.wly,  while  the  major  in   connnand  of  the 

1Q    proceeded     on    the    march,    drawing   up    only    as    they 

reached    the   -reat    -ate   of  the  city.      Tin-  stranger  who  at    this 

day,  shall   find   hii  \\\£  upon   the.   southern   front   of  the 

!y  pile  called   the,  "Citadel,"  in  Charleston  —  a  huildin^  of 

the   state,   devoted   to   the    purposes   of  military  education  —  will 

stand  at  no  jrreat  distance  from  what  was  then  the  main  entrance 

to  the  city.      Aloiitf  this  line  ran  the,  fortifications,  extending  froirt 

the  river  Cooper  to  the  Ashley,  and  traversing  very  nearly  whal 

is  n..w  the  honndary  line-  Between  the  corporate  limits  of  Cliarles 

ton   and   its   very  extensive   suhurh.      At    *h;)t    .»arly    jeriod,   tin 

fortifications  of  the  place    were    at    some   distance    fioin    the    B0t 

Uement.      'The    Mirface   occupied    hy    the    city    scarcely    reached 

l.rvond  a  fourth  ol  the  pr«'sei;t  dimensions,  and  in  the  north  anil 

:,    was    clistinpnMied    only    hy    some    scattered    and    inlerioi 

hahitations.      "\'\*   the.    path"  was   the  pi.  i    l»y  which  to 

n-uish  tlie  re-ion  which  had  heen  assigned  to  the   def. 
Mild  l.eyoi.d. 

Without,  the  re-i  .n  lay  partially  in  woods,  hroken  only  hy  an 

:1    fannstea(.    and   worm    fence,  which,  when    the   British 

took  km  of  the  "Neck"  for  the    purpose  of  the   lea 

800H   disappeared,  either  wholly    or  in  part,  heneath  the  lire  and 

the   axe.      The   j;ate    of  the    city    stood    a   little   to    the.   east  of 


BOC]  M.   3TAB  IT 

King    street —  ii"t    ijuitc    midway,    perhaps,    hetueen     tliat    and 
'.      it  was  covered  within  by  a  strong  ////// 
inally    built    l»y    the    !••  ml    afterward    im 

proved  by  tlu-  enemy.    It  was  a  work  .erahle  strength  in 

that  day,  fraised,  picketed, and  intended  as  a  citadel.    Tin-  Hrit- 
isli,  after  tin-  tall  of  the  city,  greatly  Strengthened  and  men 
the.-e  fortifications;   though  even  in  their  hands,  the  lines  remain- 
'sat  are  called  field-works  <>nly. 

Beyond  them,  at  the  moment  wben  we  request  the  n-ader'n 

.lion,  were    still    perceptible,    the    traces    of  the  several  foot- 
holds,  taken   l»y    the  enemy  when   the   leaguer   was   in    : 

•   the    »/«///-/.v    «»f  tin-    redmilits,    under  the    cover    of 
which  they  had  made  their  approaches;    the  >e\eral    parallels  — 

uh   thrown   down    in    part,  and   the   eauh    removed,  \\ith  the 

'henin^  the  fortifications  —  >till  showing  themselves 

upon    the    surface,  and    occasionally  arresting  the  eye  \>y  an  uu- 
.'ii  redoulii,  or  the  mound  which  told  where   tin-  niortard.ai- 
lerv  had  heen  erected.       l''ani.>  ami  fei.res  had  heen  dr>tr«   . 

had  heen  cut  down  for  jiiekets  ami  ahhatis;    and  e\en 
imlile  avenue,  leading  from  the  city,  calle.i  the  "  l'n»adway,"  which 
old  Archdale  tidls   us  wa>  U90  deli-lit  fill    a    mail    and    wall;  of  a 
t      hreadth,  so  pie,  , -en.  that    1    believe  i;«»  jirinee  in 

1  their  art.  can   make    SM    pleasant    a   si-lit    t«-r   the 
\\holr    \car,"  e\cn   this   had    heen    shorn   of  manv  of  i1 
patriarch^,  of  oak  and  codar,  for  the  commonest    p-  fuel 

or    <:.  till    an    avenue,    h«. \\e\er,    to    <-..inj.rl    tin- 

admiration    of  the    Kiiropean.        All    was    not    lo>t    of    / 
foliage,   its    -rcen    ill!.!   :..j'  .   its   tall    pines,   flesh    and    \eidaiit 
.  and  ancient  gnarh-d  oaks:    and,  as  the  Splendidly  i 
dry    of    the    Hritish.    two    hundred    in    number,    iih 
beneath  its  pleasant   thick,  t-.  li,. 

most  unique,  and  mi-ht  \\cll  jtersiia-K-  tin-  spectator  into  a  partia, 
forgetful  ness   of  the    fearful  '.inch   these  gallant 

•  ••1  on.      On  each  baud,  from  this  nearly  central  point,  i: 
glimpses  be  had  of  the  two  i  --atli 

which,  on    the   most    gradual  slope   «»f  plane,  ti  rle§ 

ton    rise-,  the   Ashley   "ti    the   w-!,   the   (.\n»jicr  on    the  e,isf,   hot. 
navigable  t    ;   a  small  distance  —  -treams  of  ample  brea-lth,  if  i    » 


IS  KATH  Alil.N'K    WAI. 

of  depth;   and  in  fact  rather  arms  <>f  the  sea  than  arteries  of  the 
land 

Tlii-  Iirit ish  detachment, about  to  leave  tin-  garrison,  its  o'.jectti 
lint  known,  nor  its  destination,  was  necessarily  a  suhjoct  <>f  con 
siderable  interest  to  all  parties.  Whij;  and  loyalist  e.j-ially 
:ded  its  movements  with  curiosity  and  excitement.  The 
of  the  Americans  at  I'ainden;  the  Midden  and 
startling  event,  so  near  at  hand,  in  the  rescue  at  Dor.  ester,  and 
the  partial  conflagration  of  that  hamlet,  were  all  now  known 
auioujj  the  citixens.  The  question  with  tin;  one  party  was  that 
ot  (he  dethroned  so\ crei-'n  of  KniJand  on  the  ominous  appearance 
'  ioster.  "  What  hloody  seem-  iiath  Koscius  now  to  act.'"  — 
while  the  other  looked  forward  to  new  progresses,  ending  in  the 
acquisition  of  fre>h  .spoils  from  new  confiscations,  and  the  punish 
ment  of  enemies  whom  they  had  learned  to  hate  in  due,  dr. 
with  the  appreciation  of  their  virtuous  patriotism,  which  persever 
ed,  under  ail  privations,  ir  a  manly  resistance  to  the  invader, 
'j  rou  ps  of  these,  of  hoth  parties,  separated  naturally  by  their 
mutual  antipathies,  had  assembled  in  the  open  space  contiguous 
to  the  citadel,  and  were  now  anxiously  contemplating  the  spec 
tacle.  Amon^  these,  scattered  at  plays  that  had  an  earnest 
signification,  were  do/ens  of  sturdy  urchins,  already  divided  into 
parties  according  to  the  influence  ot'  their  parental  and  other  as 
sociations.  These,  known  as  the-l'.ay  Boys"  and  the  "Green 
playing  at  soldiers,  well  armed  with  cornstalks,  and 
hammering  away  at  each  other,  in  char^ini:  and  re4reatinj.' 
Squadrons.  The  "Hay  Boy*"  were  ail  luvalists,  the  "(jlreei; 
IJoys"  tin-  Whijrs,  or  patriots:  and  in  their  respective  desi 
lions,  we  have  no  inadequate  siiir.uresti«in  of  the  influences  which 
operated  to  divide  the  factious  of  their  elders  in  the  city.  The 
"  1'  ted  the  commercial  influence,  which,  hein^ 

chiefly  in  the  hands  of  foreigners,  acknowledged  a  more  natural 
pathy  with    I'.ritain    than   the  "(Jreen    '.  those  «'f  the, 

wihurhan  population,  most   ol'   whom  were    the    agricultural    aris- 
!    the    low    country,  and    with    whom    the    revolutionary 
Movement  in  Carolina  had  its  orijjin. 

The  appeal  ancc  of  Half  >ur  and  his  suite  dispersed  these  parties 
retired    upon   opp  .  leaving   a  free   passage  for  the 


aor«cs,  which  were  driven  forward  with  hut  small  regard  for  the. 
ilic  i-rowds  that  cuvcied  tin-  highway.  The  men  turn 
ed  aw..\  \\ith  U  much  promptitude  ;is  the  hoys;  neither  Wlii«; 
nor  loyalist  having  much  assurance  of  consideration  from  a  ruler 
•O  arrogant  ami  eaprieiou.-  i  ur.  ami  so  reckless  <>f  the 

comfort  nf  inferiors.  A  few  women  niiirht  he  seen,  as  if  in  wait 
ing,  mostly  iu  i^i^  or  chair  —  then  the  ni'>.st  et'inmonly  nse«l 
vehicle  —  thon^li  one  or  more  mi^lit  he  seen  in  rarria^es,  ami  a 
fi-\\  OH  ':,  reel  --ick.  folh»wed  hy  urjrro  servants.  Those  were  all 
prepared  to  leave  the  city,  «»n  hrief  yi>it  .-jisttimary.  t<> 

the  nei^hlH.iinrr  farms  and  plantations  alon^  one  i.r  i.ther  nf  the 
tWMi-i\rrs.  They  were  destined  to  disappointment,  BalfoilT 
hternly  den\inur  the  usual  permit  to  depart  from  the  city,  at  a 
moment  u  hen  there  w  ;  to  s;ipjn»>e  that  stray  hodir 

Marion's  partie>  \\  •  •:  ••  lurking  in  the  aeigllborhood.  The  pre 
caution  was  a  proper  one;  hut  there  was  m»  j^raee  «>r  dtdicaey  in 
the  manner  of  Rdfour's  ilenial. 

•    h«>me,  madam,"    was   the    rude    reply    to   one    lady,  who 
addres>e(l  him  from  the  window  of  her  CM 

ful  f  -r  the  -.•er.rity  which  the  arms  «»f  his  majrsty  alT«»r«l  y-'U 
within  the  walls  of  the.  city  We  will  BO€  ;iftiir  y«.Ur  est 

-\\\  .    is,    sir,  that    you    will    prove    yourself  only    too 

pr«'\ident,"  answered  the  hi^h-spirited  woman,  as  slu>  hade  her 
coachman  wheel  ahont  to  return. 

"Tlii-n1   is  iii>   hreakinj;  down   the  spirit  of  this  people,"  mut- 

1  Halfour   to  ( Yuden    U    tlie;  '  ll  wt»nian 

al\\.  me  the  1.  :id  it  is  never  an  u  'ie." 

"They  wlM  1  up  may  well  he  permitted  to  rnjoy  tha 

pepper,*' said  Oradea.    "It  ruilles  \<.u,  which  it  should  not." 

"They  .-hall    hend    or   hreal.  I         i    done  with   them.' 

nnswered  the  other.      To  the  major  commanding  in    h: 
he  -  '  injunctions  that  no  HIM-  should  he  allowed  to  ! 

the  city  under  any  pn-tr 

••  1  ial  Williamson,  I  suppose?"  was  the  in^;' 

return. 

"lias  he  desired  to  £«>  f>rth  to- day?" 

"T« '-morrow,  sir." 

"Well    let  him  be  an  exception-"   and  he  rode  off;   "thou-ir 


20  KATHAKIM:  \v.u;ius 

—  continuing,  as  it'  speaking  to  himself — "\\cre  lie  wise,  he 
should  hug  the  city  walls  as  his  only  security.  His  neck  would 
mil  a  sorry  chance  were  he  to  fail  into  the  hands  of  his  ancient 
comrades." 

"I  do  not  see,  that  his  desertion  of  tin'  enemy  has  done  UP 
much  service,"  was  the  remark  of  Cruden. 

"  Y"U  mistake  :  his  correspondence  has  heen  most  etlieieip. 
He  has  brought  over  numbers  in  Ninety-Six  and  along  the  Con- 
garees.  But  these  are  matters  that  we  can  not  publish." 

At  the  "Quarter's  House."  between  five,  and  six  miles,  the 
party  came  to  a  halt.  This  was  a  famous  place  in  that  day  for 
parties  from  the  city.  The  long  low  building,  still  occupying 
the  spi»t,  might  be  almost  esteemed  :\fnc-snnllc  of  the  one  which 
covered  it  then.  It  received  its  name,  as  it  was  the,  oilicers' 
(juarte-rs  for  the  old  field  range  contiguous,  which  is  still  known 
as  " Izard's  Camp."  It  was  now  a  region  devoted  to  festivity 
rather  than  war.  Hither  the  British  otlicers,  of  an  afternoon, 
drove  out  their  favorite  damsels.  Here  they  gained  and  drank 
with  their  comrades;  and  occasionally  a  grand  hop  shook  the 
rude  log  foundations  of  the  fabric,  while  the  rafters  gleamed  with 
the  bla/e  of  flaming  up  from  open  oil  vessels  of  tin. 

Though  not  yet  midday,  Ualfour  halted  here  to  procure  refiesh- 
ments;  and  Mother  (.Jrailock,  by  whom  the  place  was  kept,  was 
required  to  use  her  best  skill  —  which  was  far  from  mean  in  this 
department  of  art  —  in  compounding  for  her  sensual  customer  a 
]"\al  noggin  of  milk  punch;  old  Jamaica  rum  being  the  potent 
element  which  the  milk  was  vainly  expected  to  subdue.  A 
lounge  of  half  an  hour  in  the  ample  piaxxa,  and  the  party  resum 
ed  their  route,  following  after  the  march  of  the  brigade  at  a 
smart  canter.  A  ride  of  four  hours  brought  them  to  Dorchester, 
where,  apprised  of  their  approach,  the  garrison  was  drawn  out  to 
receive  them. 

The  spectacle  that  met  the  eyes  of  Halfour,  in  the  smoking 
ruins  of  the  village,  was  well  calculated  to  impress  him  with  a 
•erioOffense  of  the  necessity  of  a  thorough  investigation  into  the 
affair.  He  shook  his  head  with  great  gravity  as  lie  said  toCruden  — 

"It  will  be  well  if  your  kinsman  can  aopiit  himself  of  the 
responsibility  of  this  allair.  Proctor  is  a  good  officer;  in  quick. 


SOCIAL    STAI;I;IM;.  UJ 

:!ilc,  aii'l   l>iave-    hut  1  fear,  Omden,   I   verv  much    feai    that 
he  has  1  ecu   s»mcwhat    remiss   in    this   In;  And    then   the 

awkward   relations  which   are  said   to  have  existed   between  this 

rehcl's  daughter  and  himself " 

ay."  *aid  I .'rudcn  ;    "  la'  approac! 

;iext  moment,  Majnr  1'roctor  joined  the  party,  and  offered 
<T   welcome.       He   was   a    yoim^   man,   not    more    tlian 
t\\en:\   eight  Of  thirty  IB  appearance;   and   more  than  ordinarily 
youthful    •  irrived  at   tlie  rank  whirh  he  held   in   the 

Kill  he  had  heen  f  -rtunate  in  his  opportunities  for  dis 
tinction;  and,  hoth  in  the  c-oiHjne.st  of  New  Ym-k  and  ot'('ha]le>- 
lon.  iia-!  ITOC  ilie  special  applause  of  his  .sup»-riiirs  f'-r  e«|iial 

lli>  pei>on  was  ca>t    in  a  very  n«dde 
:,   and   graceful,  with   a  eonntenaiire 

fine',  .  ,     lofry    hrow,   lar^e   and    animate  and 

which,  hut    for  a   .-tern    compression   of  the.   lips,  mi^ht 

haVQ  1    etl'eininately  handsome.      At    this   time,    his    face 

appropriate  gravity.      lie  conducted    liis  vi-i- 

•MI    ttgb    the  village^  pointing  out    the  -eene  of  every  impor- 

iction  with  dignity  and  calmness.     Hut  his  words 

:lile;    and  every  reference  to  the  Miljeet.  naturally 

.iiiful,  was  influenced  chiefly  hy  considerationfl  oi'dnty  to  his 

superior. 

When  his  examination  of  the  field  was  ended,  they  made  their 
vav  toward  the  fortre>s,  at  the  entrance  of  which  they  found 
an  otlicer  in  waiting,  in  whom  Hal  four  spoke  rather  eagerly,  and 
in  accents  much  !  !y  than  thoM-  which  he  riii|»l«iyed  in 

dealing  with  suhordinates.  Captain  Vanjrhan  —  for  such  was  the. 
name  and  title  of  this  otlicer  —  met  the  eye  <>f  Pn.rtor  ;it  this 
moment,  ami  did  not  fail  to  ohverve  the  dark  scowl  which  o\n- 
•hadowed  it.  A  sudden  ^le.im  «'('  intelligence,  which  did  noi 
sei'iu  without  it.s  triumph,  lighted  up  his  o\\n  e\ c^Jih .he  Leludd 
it;  and  his  lip  curled  with  a  .-mile  hardy  peiceptiMe  to  a  n 
one  of  «lie  party.  Ualfourji^t  then  called  th« 

•vvai'd.  ai.  i  they  passed  through  the  portals  of  the  f-u  •  'iier. 

1'roct'ir  motioned  his  kinsman  Cruden  forward  also,  hut  the  lat 
ter.  twitching  him  l.y  the  sleere,  hehl  him  hack  a*  he  eagerly 
k«ked  the  '{ues-tion  in  a  whisper  — 


22  KATIl. \RI.\K    WALTON. 

"Fordod's  sake, John, what  is  all  this  /  Iloware  you  toblamef" 

"Only  t'or  having  an  enemy,  uncle,  I  suppose." 

"  An  enemy  .'      I  thought  so.      Iiutwhor1 

Proctor  simply  waved  his  hand  lor  ward  in  the  direction  or 
Vaughan  whose  retiring  ionn  was  still  to  be  seen  following  clos« 
behind  Balfoizr. 

"Yon  will  soi.n  see.  ' 

"  Van^han!  But  how  can  he  hurt  you?  Why  should  he  L 
your  enemy  f 

"  I  am  in  his  way  somewhat;  and  —  hut  not  now,  uncle.     l,e 
forward." 

Thrv  were   soon    all   assembled    in    Proctor's   quarters,    wher- 
dinner  was  in  progress.   Balfour  had  already  renewed  his  draught/ 
enjoying  with  a  relish,  the  old  Jamaica,  of  which  a  portly  square 
botlle    stood    In-fore    him.       1 1  is  beverage  now  was  t;i  '^en  \\  it  hoilt 
th-'   milk;    but   was  (jnalilied  with   a   rather  small   allouam-, 
cool  water.      The  >  -ion  was  only  casual.      It  was  tacitly 

•inderstood  tliat,  for  the  present,  the  subject  most  in  the  mind  of 
ftll  parties  was  to  be  h-j't  fur  future  di>cnsMon.  1'roctor  did  the 
honors  with  ease  and  iriace,  yet  with  a  gravity  of  aspect  that 
lacked  little  of  geveritv.  Captains  Van^han  and  I)ickson 
of  the  company  —  oilicers  both  belonging  to  the  station  —  and 
(Yuden  c'ontiiveil  to  ex.-:i;iine,  at  intcrv.-.ls,  the  features  of  the, 
former,  of  whom  he  knew  but  little,  with  the  scrutiny  of  one  who 
had  an  inteiv-t  in  fathoming  the  character  of  him  he  surveyed 
Hut  Van^hanV  f.,ce  w.-s  mte  of  those  inscrutable  ones  —  a  dark 
fountain,  which  shows  its  surface,  only,  and  nothing  ot  its  depths, 
lit-  rai  not  unaware  of  Cruden's  watch — that  circumspect  old 
soldier,  with  all  his  shrewdness  and  experience,  beiii£  no  sort  of 
match  for  tin-  person,  seemingly  a  mere  boy,  small  of  features, 
slight  of  li-ure,  ami  with  a  chin  that  appeared  (juite  too  smooth 
to  demand  the  reaping  of  a  raZOI  —  whom  he  snujrlit  to  fatlnnu. 
Yet  tboM-  girlifih  features,  that  pale  face,  and  thin,  elVeminate.and 
closed  lips,  were  the  unrevealiii^  representatives  <»f  an  intense 
ambition,  coupled  witli  a  cool,  deliberate,  almost  icy  temper, 
which  seldom  betrayed  imp  •  I  any  of  its  secrets. 

His  eyes  smiled  only,  not  his  lips,  as  he  noted  the  furtive  scrutiny 
which  Crude ii  maintained 


r\iu:i\<;.  23 

At  length,  ilinnor  was  announced,  and  discussed.  Ilalfotir  was 
*t  home  at  tahle.  He  was  a  person  to  do  the  lionors  lor  the 
ItOH  cir<utt  ;  and  here,  ].ei  hajr-,  :  f  hi>  in 

fluence  with  Sir  \Villi;iin  Howe.       Fish   iVoin   tlie  Ashley,  which 
glided   heneath   tlie  walls  of  tl.<  ,  and  venison   iVoin   the 

forest-  which  spread  away  on  every  hand  within  howshot,  formed 

the  chief  dishes  of  the  feast;  and  the  Jamaica  pio\-ed  an 

cellent    appetizer   and    provocative.       Wine-   were    not  wan* 
and  the  commandant  of  Charleston  very  soon  showed  svmptoins 

!i  acknowledged  their  influence,    1'x  i«>re  the  (doth  had   ' 
removed,   his    iorhear;;i!ce    was    forgotten;    and,  rather  ahniptly, 

iir  of  Walt-.n's  re-cue  was  hrou^ht  upon  the  tahle. 
"  I'll  tell  you  what,  Proctor, this  nil'air  is  decidedly  unfortunate. 

Hen- you  bare  seventy-si]  men  in  garrison,  good  men.  not  in- 

'•\\£  invalids,  and  you  send  out  a  detachment  of  thirty  only  to 
01  i.el  Walton  to  the  pillows.      I  must  s.iv.  you  mi^ht 

tlmost  ha\  •  i  what  followed." 

"Really,  ('"l.-iu-l  Hallour,  1  see  not  that.  I  send  out  half  of 
rny  force,  ,.r  nearly  BO,  to  superintend  the  execution  of  a  sin-le 
man.  One  would  suppose  sue  h  a  ::icient  for  such  a 

pui'pose.     Was  I  to  ahandou  the  garrison  entirely  {     Hail   I  done 
hat   DUght    have    heen    the    conse<|Uem-es  I       Instead   of  the 
Me  of  the  prisoner,  the  po^t  mi^ht  have  heen  surpi 
:re«l  with  all   H  and   the  .  ut  to  j.ic. 

.rcelv,  if  the  reported  force  of  t!  e  true.      They 

r  seen:  to  have  had  more  than  twenty  men  in  all." 

i  will    permit    me  t  H  arrived  at  tl 

elusion  (      I  am  not  n.i  \\-.\\  ini:  made  any  definite  rej-ort 

of  the  numher  of  tlie  rel-els  in  this  a 

"rCCtOr;    and  t:  .rr»   to  i.i  |  n,..s-t 

unaccountahle  omission    in   your   report.      V«,ii    had   Hie  eviilenro 
of  a  worthy  1  •  .-fly  told    \  mi  that 

they  imml-ered  only  t\\ 

"  The  deficiencies  of  my  repoi  t,  ( ',  -l-.m-l  Pialfoiir,  seem  m  na\r 
heen  particularly  supplied  hy  "flier  :  <•  ir<>nic.:' 

mark  of  Pnur 

"  out    your    informant  .icet    hi; 

'.ecu  tOO  jrlad  TO  assume,  n-  ••  r.  rtan  it  \\liirli  u  as  only 


24  KATHARINE   WALTON, 

conjectural.  Hhmay  state. 1  distinctly  that  there  were  twenty 
men  and  won:  These  were  his  very  words.  lie  did  not  say 
how  many.  Ills  whole  act-mint  was  wretchedly  confused,  since 
his  mind  seems  to  have  hern  distracted  hetween  the  difficulty  of 

;ing  liis  motlier  from  the  feet  of  the  horse,  by  which  she 
really  trampled  to  death,  and  the  desire  of  taking  revenge 
ujMin  a  single  enemy,  upon  whom  alone  his  eyes  seem  to  have 
hi  .11  fixed  during  the  affair.  This  Hlonay,  sir,  instead  of  being 
a  worthy  loyalist,  is  a  miserahle  wretch,  half  Indian,  and  of  no 
worth  at  all.  lie  has  an  Indian  passion  for  revenge,  which,  on 
this  occasion,  left  him  singularly  incapahle  of  a  correct  ohserva- 
tion  on  any  suhject  which  did  not  involve  the  accomplishment 
of  his  passion.  Hut,  allowing  that  the  rehels  made  their  assault 
with  hut  twenty  men,  it  must  he  remembered  that  they  effected 

a  surprise " 

"Ah!  that  was  the  reproach,  Major  Proctor;  there  was  the 
error,  in  allowing  that  surprise." 

"Hut,  Halfour,"  said  Crudcn.  "this  veems  to  he  quite,  unrea- 
sonahle.  A  detachment  of  thirty  men  from  the  post,  leaving  hut 
fortv  in  charge  of  it,  seems  to  he.  quite  large  enough." 

"That  depends  wholly  on  circumstances,  ( Vuden,"  was  the 
reply  of  Halfour,  filling  his  glass. 

ictlv,  sir,"  resumed  Proctor;  "and  these  circumstances 
were  such  as  to  call  for  a  guard  for  the  prisoner  no  stronger 
than  that  which  I  assigned  it.  Hut  a  few  days  had  elapsed 
;  .rl  Cornwall!*  totally  defeated  the  ivhel  army  at  Cam- 
den.  Were  we  to  lonk  for  an  effort  of  the  rebels,  in  his  rear. 
of  this  description?  Did  we  not  know  that  Marion,  with  his 
hrigadr.  had  joined  himself  to  tlie  force  ofGateS;  and  had  we 
nut  •  -on  to  suppose  that  lie  had  shared  its  fate  !  The, 

whole  country  was  in  »nr  pOMeMIOlt,  Lord  Kawdoii  held  Cam- 
den  ;  Colonel  Stuart  was  at  Ninety-Six;  nr:m--ehnrg,  Motte.'fl. 
\V;it-Mn'-.  M-i:k's  Corner,  rjuimhy  —  all  posts  garrisoned  by 
ourselves  ;  and  or,  brOUghl  no  tidings  oi'  any  considera 

ble  force  of  rrhrK  enihodied  in  any  qUAlt 
44  Hut  the  turn,. » .'••'</AA,"  ;.  Halfour 

"T'l  --.relv  provided  .-igaiiiM  ill  a  force  of  thirty  moil, 

h'd   by  M  coiMjir'i-nt     >!  ''cer,  who  sealed   his  devotion  with  his  life  M 


SOCIAL  BTABB1  S 

"  \Vliy    diil    yi'U    ncil    take     command    of    the-    <•«•«> rt    ymir 
queried  Halfour. 

I  iiioi, iciit.  an   •  -pn-ad   OTW   the 

tOCtor.      Hut  he  replied  calmly  — 

"It  miuht  be  a  sullicieiit  answer  to  >ay.    that  such    v. 
duly.     Tlu-  command  of  the  post  at    Dorchester  Involved  DO 

tion  to  aHume  the  dui  -ubonlinate.    r,ut  I  will  < 

sdf  more  frankly.  I  could  not  have  ;;-unud  this  duty  without 
violating  some  of  the  most  precious  feelings  of  humanity.  I  had 
enjoyed  the  ho-pitulity  of  Colonel  Walton  ;  had  shared  his  intimacy  ; 
and  chcrishnl  a  real  esteem  for  the  noble  virtues  of  that  p-ntleman, 
which  i  .-.icnt  unhappy  rebellion  can  not  obliterale  from  my 

mind.      I  could  not  have  taken  part  in  the  terrible  event  of  th  . 

Ifl  my  tluty  allowed  it,  to  withdraw  from  so  painful 
• 

"Ah:    that    was   the    error  — the  The   soldier,   sir. 

to   his  kin:;  superior   to  .-iincnt. 

.   Major  Proctor—  very  sorry— no*  lea  for  jrotu 
than  lu-cause  of  the  deep  sympathy   which  I   have  with   my  friend. 
( 'rud«  n. 

.'.  HalfoU! 

ha<  been  quite  just  ilialile.  With  his  force.  In-  could  not  h:t\e 
detached  from  the  irarri-oii  more  than  he  did,  as  an  e-cort  for 
tin-  i  <-utio!i.  And,  under  the  eitvu'  of  tlie 

country,    \\ith    Cornwalli-    s<»   coiuiiletcly    triumphant    < 
and    with     our     tro.,;.  jcre     ox.iauii  idious 

point,    there    could    be   no    rea-oii    to    anticipate    such   a   ^urj 
this.      N' 

dear   Crudeii.    all    this  ry    \\.-ll  ;   and 

-ideivd    by   them-.  !•  no  doubt    the  defence 

wo-dd  be  propj-rly  urirr«l.      Hut  1  am  afraid   that  an  «-\il  . 
may    l>e   placed   upon    the  palliy    wliieh   our  yoiin-   fri.-nd 

;••  have  felt   for  the   family  of  thi-*   i«  IK  I.      H.-M.HIV  • 
be.  n  a  frequent  vi-ii.-r  at   Walton'x  plantation." 

"  Only,  sir.   when   ('..lmu-1  •  Walton   was  uini  :'riend 

of  my  kim;  and  government." 
"That  li 
"lie    irafl    admitted    in   our    roll    «,f   friend-   ainon^    tli. 


2f,  KATIIAHINK    WAI." 

country;  and  1  bave  I. "id  Cornwall!-'  -tl  i.iftnictiona 

bi  treat    liiin  with  irreat   eourte>y  ar.d   favor,  it.  the  in  pe  of  win 
ning  him  over  to  active  participation  in  our  c;r 

"  Verv  true,  sir;  that  w/i.v  our  ohject  ;  ln:t  how  loii£  is  it  Riuce 
this  hope  was  abandoned  /  Could  you  have  entertained  it,  my 
near  major,  fur  a  moment  after  your  fruitless  attempt  to  capture 
Sin^h-toii,  the  lieutenant  of  Marion,  harhored  l>y  this  very  rel.el 
— !;..  -1  l.y  Walton  from  your  ^rrasp.  at  the  heail  of  an 

armed  force,  which  put  you  at  defiance  .'  Nay,  I  am  not  sure 
that  the  curious  fact,  that  Walton  sutVereil  y..u  to  escape,  though 
i  h-aily  in  his  clutches,  will  not  make  against  you.  Even  oilier 
the.xr  events,  it  is  understood  that  you  have  more  than  once  vis 
ited  the  daughter  of  this  rebel,  alone,  without  any  attendants, 
returning  late  in  the  evening  to  your  post." 
I'loctor  Mnile.l  grimly,  as  In-  replied  — 

"  It  will  he  something  new.   1  fancy,  to  the  olHcers  of  his  maj- 
in  rharloton    and  eNewhere,  if  it  he  construed  into  a  trea- 
'•le  atlair  when  they  visit  a  reliel  dan^el.     Hut  really,  Colonel 
Hallow,  this  conversation  assumes  so  much  the  appearance  of  a 
criminal  investigation,  that  I  see,  no  other  course  heforc  me  than 
fo  regard    it   a>  a  ><>rt    .,|'  court  of  iinjuiry.      J'erhaps,  sir,  I    had 
r  tender  mv  >\vord,  a>  under  ari'est.      At  all  events  sir,  per 
mit  me  to  demand  a  court  of  inquiry  for  the  full  examination  of 
this  ailair." 

!!••  unhuckled  his  s\vord  as  ho  spoke,  and  laid  it  upon  the  tahle. 

"  What  are  you  ahout.  .John  ?      What  need  ol  this  .'"   demand- 

Midt-n.      "  1  am  sure  that  Halfour  means  nothin.ir  of  the  kind." 

haps  it  is  just  as  well,  ( Vuden,"  answered  Halfour,  "  that 

"iir  \oiin.  determine.      1  like  to  see  youiiir  men 

fearless  of  investigation,      Hetter  he  should  invite  the  court  than 

;    upon  him  ;    and  you  will    see.  from  what    I    I 
.  that  there  is  miici  .rioiis  nature  in  this  ailair  which 

it    is   proper    for    him    to   clear    up.      Hut    rememher,  my  friend/4, 
•  •en  said   ii.  a  friendly  spirit,      i  have  n-o 

Tnucii  regard    for  hoth  of  you  to  sull'ev  you  to  he   taken  hy  sur 
You  uo\\    sc<-  what  points  are  to    he  explained,  and  wli.V 
doul't  !  and  settled." 

'I'liis  \vas  .:11  ,  ;    \ye  shall  not  say  civilly. 


\I.   BTAB1  -• 

1    am  deeply  indehted    to   your   couitesy.  i 'olmiel    Balfour," 
answered   Proctor,  "and  will  lie  p-lad  if  you  will  still    furtner  in 
crease  my  IcknowledgmentB,  l-y  sutlerm-;  me  to  kno\v  t: 
of  that  information  which,  1   perceive,  has  f"ll<.ue<!  my 
as  a  shadow." 

"  Xav,  now,  mv  younj*  friend,  you  must  really  BXCOM  me.      1 
.Id  he  happy  to  ohligc  you  ;    hut  the  nature  of  tin1  atlair,  ami 
the  caution  which   is  due   to  my  situation,  will  imt   sutler   u  • 
comply  with    your    desires.       i  Let    KS    ha'. 

all  round." 

iden  ;    "am   I   to  understand    that    John  is  de 
prived  of  his  command  at  this  p 

"  Most  certainly,"  interposed  1'roctor,  himself.     "  I'ntil  pu: 
of  tliese  suspicions.  I  can  certainly  hold  no  station  of  trust  in  tin' 
i-  of  his  inaji' 

"  Your   nepheu-  has  a  ri^ht   notion  of  these  matt 
remark^!    Halfour;     "hut    it    will    not    he    Ion-.       H«"    will 
purirc  himself  of  these  suspicions,  and  he  in  a  situation  to  resume 
all  his  tru 

"And    to   whom,"    said    ("rudeu,  "  will   you    confide    the    ] 
meanwhile  {" 

••  \V1,,,  .'  —  ay  |"    looking  round.      "  I    had   thought  of 
iu^   our    voting    fr'n-nd,  Vau-han,  Jiere.  'o    administer    its  ,!• 
and  to  take  charge  of  the  jirecincts  «,f   Di.rche 

Vaii^lian  howed    his   head    «|uietly  and    respe'-tlully.  aipl    in    a 
few  calmly-expressed  \v,,rds,  declared    hi  ;i|ili- 

ment.      The  keen  eye  of   Proctor  was   fastened  upon  him  with  a 
:nf»l  glance,  and.  a  moment  after  he  left  ihe  apart 
ment,  followed  hy  his  uncle. 

"This    is  a    must    ahominahle  alVair,  John,"  was    his   remark; 
••  a  must  ahominahle  all 

"  I»o  vou  think  so.  sir  I      There  \vould  he  nothing  ahomiuahle 
ahout  it,  we/e  there  not  a  villain  in  the  hiis'm. 

"  Ami  that  villain  —  " 

"Is    Vau.L'han  !     the    srrvile    t-.ol    of    Halt'-ur;     the    miseriM? 

;»hant,  v/ho    fam-ies   that    amhitioii    11: 
hood.      Rut    I    shall  crush  him  yet.      His   triumph  || 
int-nt  only." 


«  ATI!  A  RINK    WALTON, 


CHAPTER    III 

XATIVK    I'HIN«  |>s. 

Tin:  sun  was  still  an  hour  high  when  Halfour  gave  instructions 
t<>  prepare  his  horses  and  a  small  escort,  proposing  a  visit  to  th« 
plantation  called  "  The  Oaks,"  the,  domain  of  the  famous  rebel, 
Colonel  Walton. 

•i  will,  of  course  accompany  me,  Cruden.  Your  duties 
quarter.  It  is  just  as  well  that  we  should  have 
this  e-tate  \\  ithin  «»ur  clutches  as  soon  as  possible,  and  before 
the  alarm  is  taken.  \Ve  will  quarter  ourselves  upon  the  young 
lady  to-night,  ami  see  how  the  land  lies.  Should  she  prove  as 
beautiful  as  they  describe,  we  shall  make,  her  a  ward  of  the  king, 
and  di.xpo.se  of  her  accordingly." 

"  In  that  event,  you  had  best  take  her  to  the  city." 
'.all  most  surely  do  so." 

41  I    shall    certainly  be    better    pleaseil    to    take    charge  of  the 
plantation  in  her  absence.      Our  authority  might  otherwise,  con 
flict.     With  the  dawn,  we  must  proceed  to  gather  up  the  negi 
and  for  this  purpose  I  shall  need  your  assistance.      You  will  have 
a  Kuilicient  detachment  with  you  .'" 

"  Twenty  men  will  do.      There  are  some  three  hundred  slaves, 
I  understand  "f  all  classes;    and    the    fewer   soldiers  we  employ 
In  bringing  these  into  the  fold,  the   less  heavv  will  be  the.  a 
iiM-nt  on  the  estate." 

IB,  the  meaning  of  which  was  perfectly 
underwood  by  his  associate. 

44  1 )  ompniiy  us,  Hal  four  ?" 

41  If  he  . 

"  I  may  :  irice  in  the  matter." 

"  You  have  brought   \"iir  -IM  tetary  ?" 


NATIVE    PRIX-  29 

•    Vm»    Jtdm    is   a    ready    fellow    at    accou;.'  -lick 

with  the  pen  as  with  the  sword;  —  besides,  he  knOWl  >"inothing 
of  the  estate  already,  and  may  give  s'ime  useful  hints  in  respect 
to  plate,  horses,  and    other    property,  which    these    rebel  w 
are  apt  to  conceal." 

"The  plate  generally  fnuls  its  way  into  the  cellar,  or  under 
great  oak-tree  in  the  woods;  but  I  have  long  been  in 
of  a  divining  rod,  which  conducts  me  directly  to  tin* 
place  of  safe-keeping.  We  have  only  to  string  up  one  of  the 
old  family  negroes,  and,  with  a  tight  knot  under  the  left  ear,  and 
a  little  uneasiness  in  breathing,  he  soon  disgorges  all  ]••'.- 
lint,  in  truth,  these  women  seldom  hide  very  deeply.  It  is  u<u- 
allv  at  the  verv  last  hour  that  they  con-cut  to  put  away  tho 
plate,  and  then  it  is  rather  hurried  out  of  sight  than  hidden.  1 
have  sometimes  detected  the  hoard  by  the  ears  of  a  silver  milk- 
pot,  or  the  mouth  of  a  coilee-urn.  or  the  handle  of  a  v.. 
ing  up  unnaturally  beside  an  old  chimney  in  the  basement.  Hut 
see  your  nephew,  and  let  us  ride." 

(Yudon   proceeded  to  Proctor's   room;   but,  on   the  exp: 
of  his  wish,  was  met  by  a  firm  and  prompt  refusal. 

"  II  >w  can    you  ask  me.  Oolouel    < 'n;den,  to  take    part  in  this 
business?      It   is  your  duty,  as  tho    prop, 
and  that  is  your  apology.      I  should  have  none." 

"  I    am   afraid,  John,  you   are   quite   too  deeply  interested    in 
this  beauty." 

"Stop,  sir;    let    us   have   nothing  of  this.      Enough,  thai   Miss 
Walton    can    never   be    to    me    more    than    she    tB, 
al\\ -.•!•  imand    my  respect,  and   1   beg   that  -lie  will    yours. 

For   my  sake,  sir,  administer   this   unpleasant   duty,  upon  which 
you  go,  with  all  possible  tenderness  and  forbear 

"  1  will,  .John,  for  your  sake.      To  be  •  me   1   vill." 

And  they  separated  —  Ualfoiir  clamoring  u  itliouf,  impatiently, 
Tor  hi^  companion,  who  soon  afier  joined  him. 

Mi  hour  brought  them  to  the  n    bio  ftVCniN  '':irli 

conducted,  for  half  a  mile,  to  the   Clltrmo  :»«d  Wai' 

dwelling  —  a  stately,  S"ml  :e   M   •   •;    -I 
arching  and  uniting  completely  over   the 
their   boarded    mosses   drooj.ed    to  the  \  ery  gmunJ    itself.      Tho 


80  K  A  Til  ACINI-     WAI.TO.V. 

mansion  wan   in  a  style  of  ;  randeur  to  correspond  with 

Me  an  entrance.  Tin-  apju-oach  of  the  British  party  waa 
known  to  the,  inmates,  even  before  it  had  entered  upon  the  avc 
nue.  These  inmates  consisted,  now,  only  of  Colonel  Walton's 
maiden  BlSter,  Ifigfl  I'  .rl.ara —  a  lady  of  that  certain  ap-  which 

red  the  mo>t  uncertain  in  the  calvndar — when,  in  ; 
the  >pin.ster  cease.s  to  compute,  even  as  she  cea>e^  to  p-ow  — 
and  Katharine,  the  only  daughter  of  tlie.  fugitive  rehel  himself. 
Katharine  was  still  a  helle  and  a  heauty,  and  youthful  accord 
ingly.  She  misfit  have,  l.een  nineteen;  and,  hut  i'orthe  majestic 
and  admirahle  form,  the  lofty  «rrace  of  her  carriage,  the  calm  and 
red  expression  of  her  features,  the  ease  and  dignity  of  her 
hearing  —  the  fresh  sweetness  of  her  face,  and  the  free,  luxuri 
ant  llow  of  her  lonjr,  unfathered  locks,  simply  parted  from  her 
forehead,  and  left  at  freedom  upon  her  neck  and  shoulders  — 
wonlil  have  occasioned  a  dmiht  whether  she.  was  quite  sixteen. 
An  obsequious  ne^ro,  who  rejoiced  in  the  name  of  Hacchns, 
without  making  any  such  exhibition  of  feature,  or  conduct  as 
would  induce  the  suspicion  that  he  was  a  \\.ir>hipper  at  the 
shrine  of  that  jolly  divinity,  received  the  iSritish  oflicers  at  the 
entrance,  and  ushered  them  into  the  ^reat  hall  of  the  mansion. 
COrt,  having  had  previous  instructions,  was  divided  into 
two  l-.,i!ies.  one  occupying  the  front  avenue,  the  other  that  which 
led  to  the  river,  in  the  rear  of  the,  building.  Hut  two  persons 
entered  the  house  with  Halfonr  and  Cruden  —  Captain  IMckson, 
of  the  garrison,  and  one  who  knew  the  Walton  family,  and  the 

•  ;ry  of  Colonel  Cruden. 

It    was    not    lon^-    hefore    the    ladies    made    their   appearance. 
Though  hy  n<:  meant   disposed  to  wai\e  any  proper  reser\e<  of 
the  se\.  thev  wre  yet    prej>ared    to  recognise    the    polirv  which 
Celled    *liem  to  pve   no   undue  or  unnecessary  provocations 
to   those    to    \\ho-r    |MI\MT   they    coiilil    oiler   no   adeijiiafe    resist 
ance.      J/x.s.  Barbara  Walton — the  old  maid  in  those  days  heing 
alway>   a   ////  %// •»  -.v,  1  lirou-h  a  com  tesy  that   could   no   lon-'er  re 
gard   her  as  a  ;/r/.w  —  le<l   the  way  into   the   hall,  dressed   in   her 
;  manner,  with  -urroundin^  her  as  a  sort  of 

—  a  purely  ui.:  n    the  pi- 

•     -nnd   h"r  lie, id  Mil-mounted   hy  one  of  th"xe 


NATIVE    i  .  1 

silk.  gau/.e>,  ribands,  ami  j  :.  \\hieh  u 

i;i  th.it  i!ay.  and  which  ivmi.ide.;  QUO  of  nothing  more  ;ijitl\  I 
of  tin-  r;.  .  v  iii£s  of  the  '1  el   in  old 

llu»  Bible,  done  in  the  very  infancy  of  art.      1'oor 

good-natured    creature,  no\vi  i  iii  her 

icter,  upon  whom  a  foolish  fashion  c»uld  do  no  mischief,  but  who 
w.t-  always  playing  the  very  mischief  with  the  t'asliim:.-.      'i 
never   wen-    inoro    military   in    c-liarai-trr   than    in    her    ha;. 
k  !n[iiest  only  i-y  the  ah>..lute  n-nnlsion  •.!'  all  a 

ants       Wlu-thrr.  at  1'orty-liM-.  this   p»i..l    rreatnre  fancied  that  it 
\\.i-   neCGtSary  to   put   her  del'em-es   in    the   l»r>t    i 

•:>t    >nch   a  DOtorioUi   ^ral-ant    as    Balfour,  \\  e   inav  i;»t    - 
hut  ec-itainly  she  never  looked  more  formidable  mi  anv  |>re\ 

-i..n.  Her  rery  Bfflilea  were  t;em-hes  and  pitfall>  for  tin- 
invader —  and  every  motiun  of  her  person,  lmwe\  ;;illv 
ijite.  :ied  like  A  "Warning  to  quit  " —  jnilieant 
hint  traps  and  spring  -uns"  in  waiting  !• 

Dottbtlett,  tip-  !e    tnaiden    mi^ht    ha\e    la:. 

j»elled  the  C'-iisideration  oi'the   liriti>li  ojiircrs,  hut  for  the  bright 
creature  that  .ippeared  immediately  behind  her;    an.l  who,  v 

::iy  ajtjx-aiance  of  timiditv  or   d«mbt,  ([nietlv  ad\'anced   and 
Welcomed  die  Itrangert,  .      if  |>«M-fonnin«:  the  most  fami: 
in  the  world.     Halfour  absnlufely  recoiled  lield  her. 

•i'Hi  had  not  <.ften  flashed  ii 

"I1.  he  muttered   at    the   fii>t  opp.irtnni!;.  '-n, 

"••he  /v  a  beauty!      What  a  figtirfi  '  —  \\liat  a  lace  !      No  PTO1 
your  kinsman  neglected  his  duties  for  his  1 

••  It    is   yet    to   !  e   seen    that    he    has   done  so,"  wa>    • 
NX 

"  1:  her."    whispered    P.alfonr.    "  I    can    1 

without  further  testimonv." 

We  need  not  follow  \\.,  Katharine  |!.' •!  • 

of  tl.'  ri  with  an  case  and    dignity,  which,  whih'  inal. 

the  rialten   at    home,  ma.le    it    sulliciently  evi  tVlt 

(juitc  as   much  what  was  due  to  ||,-r  condition  a»  to  'I;- 
•She   \\OH-    the    ;i  ]>]'e., ,  •;,  i,ee  of  one   \\  !  the 

-.  the  res[n,n-ibili!:'--.  :.:•  •:   tl  tlOH  J    \  <•« 

without  yielding  to  any  of  ti  which  in 


K  A  THAU  INK    \V  ALTON. 

he  Mipposrd,  in  one  of  her  s<-x.  to  flow  from  their  recognition 
Her  M-h.ioiing  had  already  been  one  of  many  trials  and  terrors 
Her  guests  knew  .something:  <  f  the  training  through  which  she 
had  £one,  and  this  rendered  her  hearing  still  more  admirable  in 
their  sight.  Hut  her  beauty,  her  virtue,  her  dignity,  and  char 
aeter  did  not  suffice,  after  the  first  impressive  effect  produced  by 
her  appearance,  to  disarm  her  chief  visitor  of  any  of  his  pur- 
poM-s.  The  usual  preliminaries  of  conversation —  such  common 
places  of  remark  as  belong  to  the  ordinary  encounter*  of  persons 
i;i  good  society  —  having  hcen  interchanged  as  usual,  and  R-il- 
four  sei/cd  the  o]»|iortunity  of  a  pause,  when  his  fair  hostess, 
indeed,  appeared  to  expect  something  from  him  in  the  way  of  a 
revelation,  to  hreak  ground  in  regard  to  the  ungracious  husiness 
on  which  he  came. 

"  It  would  greatly  relieve  me.  Miss  Walton,"  said  he,  with  a 
n-'umer  at  once  seemingly  frank  as  seemingly  difficult,  *'  if  1 
could  persuade  myself  that  you,  in  some  degree,  anticipate  the 
painful  affair  which  hrings  me  to  your  dwelling." 

"That  it  is  painful,  sir,  I  inu.st  feel;  and,  without  heing  aide 
to  conjecture  what  will  be  the  form  of  your  husiness,  I  can 
easily  concede  it  to  be  such  as  can  be  agreeable  to  none  of  the 
parties.  To  me,  at  least,  sir,  and  to  mine,  1  can  very  well  con 
jecture  that  you  bring  penalty  and  privation  at  least." 

v,  ti.-iv  '  The.-e,  1  trust,  are  not  the  words  which  should 
le  used  in  this  business.  In  carrying  out  the  orders  of  my 
superior,  ami  in  prosecuting  the  service  which  is  due  to  my 
•OTereign,  1  shall  certainly  be  compelled  to  proceed  in  a  man 
ner  materially  to  change  your  present  mode  of  life  ;  but  that 
this  will  involve  penalty  and  privation  is  very  far  from  probable 
conduct  of  vi.ur  father  —  his  present  attitude  in  utter  defi 
ance  to  the  arms  and  authority  of  his  m;ije>ty,  and  in  total 
rejection  of  all  the  gracious  overtures  made  to  him,  as  well  by 
'  Cornwall']*  as  by  Sir  Henry  Clinton,  loaves  it  impossible 
that  we  .should  extend  to  him  any  i:. •;-,!.  >M  «•  As  a  rebel  in 
anPB  —  " 

Irl  —  you    speak    of  my  father.      It    is   not   necessary 
tl'°t  ;ld    s;iv  an\  thing  to  his  daughter's   ear,  save  what 

\»    \bsoluteJy    nccessarv   that    she    should    know        If  1    conceive 


N  \1IVK    IMilM 

rightly  your  ohject  in  this  visit,  it  i>  t«»  vi.-it  upon  my  father^ 
property  tin*  penalty  of  my  father's  offe: 

"'I',  ii    my  soul,"  whispered  Cmden,  "tin-   girl   .speak*  like  a 
\ery  I'orlia.      She  comes  t«>  tin-  point  manfully." 

me.  Mi*.*   Walton;   ami,  in   some   mea*n .- 

are  DOHect,"  answered  lialfonr,  interrupting  be*  ipeech,  M  It 
could  not  In-  supposed  that  his  majestv  .vhouKl  suiVcr  Colonel 
Walton  to  remain  in  ]i..>sc>.-ion  «.f  his  proj.crty,  while  actually 

_':iin^t  tiif  l>[-iti>h  stamlanl.      Colonel  (Yu«len.  : 
i^  DOmmissioned  hy  Lnnl  Coru\vallis  to  se(|ue5tratf  hi^  • 
tlu-ir  future  ilisjmsal   to   depeml  wholly  unon   the   final 
the  war." 

Here  Cnulen  interposed,  hy  reciting  the  general  terms  .-if  the 
Hriti-h    regulation  in    regard    to    the    emifi-seated    «-r  sequestrated 
estates  of  tlu-  rehels  —  enumerating    all   the  hi-ad>  of  the  » •: 
nient,  and  proceeding  to  details  \\hii-h    left  no  douht  in. 
no  amhi^uity  which  could   lead  to  douht,  of  the  universal  liahil- 
ity  of  ihe  estate  of  the  otlcnder.      Lands.  boUMB,  »U V68 ,    furni 
ture  and  Inures  ;  plate  and  jewelry  —  "Ofn..  -  Walton, 
the  personal  ornaments  «.fa  lady  would  he  ri-sp.-eted.  and"  — 

Katharine  Walton  smiled  (|iiietly.  This  Mnile  had  its  expla 
nation,  when  the  commissioner  commenced  his  operation*- 
day  —  hut,  though  he  was  very  far  from  conjecturing  its  signifi 
cation,  it  yet  struck  him  a.s  something  inyMeri"  'i-mr, 
also.  \va-  imprened  with  the  smile  of  Katharine,  which  si-eine.i 
(piite  unnatural  under  the  eircumstan 

••  \   MI  smile,  Mi>s  Walton." 

"Only,  perhaps,  heeause  one  who  antieipati-s  the  \\ 
no  such    detail*  as  I'oh-nel  ("iii'len    lias    hestowed   on    me. 
are  ;lie  BUtften   here,   I    know.      I'or   mvself.  \ 

jewel-*.       I    hail    some    toys.  M;C  h  and 

watches,    hut    1    thought    it    uuM-emly  that    1    shoul 
OrnameHtS»  When    the     >oldier.>  of    my    j.eoj.le   \\anted    1: 
blankets,  and  they  all  found  their  way.  lo; 
cin    t  of  Marion." 

The  devil!"  muttered  Crude::,  in  tones  almost  audihle 
though  meant  as  an  asi.le  to  Halfour.  M  It  i-«  to  he  hoped  that 
the  family  plate  has  not  taken  the  same  direction." 


KATI1A1UNE    WALTON. 

"  We  shall    BOe  at    supper,  p.-rhaps."  MT8I  tin-  whisper  of  Bal 
four. 

Katharine  Walt. MI  irai   seen    a-ahi  tu  smile.      She  had    posai 
m-aid    the    apprehend. us    of  Cruden.      At    Ira.-:,  she    mi-ht 

..il'lv  have  conjectured  tliem.      She  resumed — 
"  And    in.\v,  I'olonel    Balfour,  tliat  1  am  in  possession  of  yum 
dru-rmiuation,  you  will    permit   me  to  retire  for  awhile,  in  order 
1   may  properly  perform    the   duties  of  a  hoMess.      For  this 
I,  at  all  event-.  I  may  reasonahly  he  expected  to  aet  in  this 
capacitv    let  to. morrow  hrin^  forth  what  it  may." 

,v — ;l    moment,  Ml88  Walton —  I    am    not    Mire    that    you 
eoneeive   all    that  \s  e  \\oiild   say — all,  in    1,-u-t,  that  is  appointed 

execute." 

-  Well,  sii-r* 

.:-iiwaHi>  ha>  left  it  to  my  di.seretion  to  decide  whether, 

A  aid   of  tin-  rr«i\vn.  \oii  >hi»iild  he  left  e\j'oM-d  to  a  d.-.n^er- 

ou>  ]irojiin.|uitv   with  rehellion  —  whether,  in  .short,  it  would  not 

he  a.!vi>ahli-  that    one  so  lo\i-ly,  and  so  \\orthy  <•!'  hi>  iruanliaii- 

hhiji.  should  not  he  jilare«l  in  gaiety  within  the  walls  of  the.  city." 

"Ha!  that,  indeed,  is  something  that  1  had  not  anticipated. 
And  thi>.  >ir.  is  left  to  your  individual  discretion  f" 

"  It  is,  indce'l.  Mi-s  Walt«»n."  replied  the  commandant,  turn 
ing  his  eyei  V'-ry  tcndi-rly  upon  hers,  ami  throwing  into  his 
^lanee  as  nuieli  softness  as  could  well  consist  with  the  leer  of  * 

••  \\V1I.  sir,  1  suj»pose  that  even  this  claim  can  challenge 
notljin^  1-iit  sultmission.  As  I  have  said  already,  you  are  the 
master  h 

Shr  ictilfd  witii  these  WO1 

••  'Pon  m\-  B  *ll|  '  !ru  l(  n,  Liu  .      With  what  a 

. ds  '      Sh-  ;lil.orn  ;    and  so   heauti- 

ful  !       It  (M-.-ht  not  to  he,  very  dillicult  to  thaw  the  heart  of  smdi 

DUUL      That  .-In-    has   not    hern  won    het'ore.  is  hecau>e  they 

ha\i  i   to  e.iine  to  the  dt 

•,    hy  ,   should    the    plate    have    followed    the  jewels, 

. 

"The.  ijur>:ioM  is  a  .-erious  one.  We  shall  see  at  supper 
Your  kinsman  might  have  said  something  of  this  matter,  if  ho 


N  M  IVK    n;l\'  35 

pleased.      Henii^t  have  seen,  in  his  t'leo^ient  Wits,  whether  Any 
di>jday  of  plate  \va>  made." 

••  He  did  nut  visit  i'uMjiu-ntly,"  .-ai.l  Cni<U-n. 

"Ah!    hut    he    <li«l;    t<.,>    iViMpu'Jitly  f«»r   his  p»«nl  ;  —  hut    lira- 

eometthal  gentlemanly  negro ;   H:u-rhn>.  tlu-y  rail  him.     S 

a  namr  >»H-IHS   j.art icMilarly  suitc.l  to  a  hutlci.      I  think,  Cni.lrn. 
ha.l    hcttcr   M'ii.1    him   to  me.      I    like   the   frllow'.s   Dial 

He    has    rvi.leiitly    horn    tr.iiiu-d    hy    a   gentleman.      Wrll,    H\\ 

•nai 

"My  lady  heirs  to  tell    you,  jjrnll«Mnou.  that  su])]icr  waits." 
..  Very  ircll— show  tli.-  way.      Did  you  hear  that.  Oiidm  ' 

my  lady  !      How  those  Provincials  do  apo  nohility  !" 


36  K  .VI  HA  II I  XK    WALTON. 


CI1  A  I'TKR   IV 

TIIK     It  A  Mil-:  II. 

THK  husiness  of  tin1  feast  had  scared v  heen  begun,  when  it 
u.i-  interrupted  hy  a  heavy  tread  without,  as  of  more  than  one 
iron-shod  person;  and, the  door  hcin^  thrown  open  hy  Bacchus, 
a  dull-faced  lieutenant,  having  charge  of  the  escort  of  Hal  four 
showed  himself  ;it  the  entrance,  and  hejr^ed  a  hearing. 

"  Wlial's  tlie  matter,  Kcrunsson  .'  Can't  it  keep  till  after 
Hipper  {"  wa>  the  .^oinewhat  impatient  sjieech  of  Hallour. 

lie  was  answered  hy  a  strange  voice;  and  a  little  hustle  fol- 
loucd,  in  which  a  person,  totally  unexpected,  made  his  apjieai- 
ance  upon  the  M-ene.  The,  stranger's  entrance  caused  the  com 
mandant's  eves  to  roll  in  some  astonishment,  and  occasioned  no 
Mnall  Kiirprisc  in  all  the  assemhiy.  He  was  a  tall  youn«;  man, 
oodly  jierson,  perhaps  t  went  y-ei^ht  or  thirty  years  of  a^;e, 
hut  hahited  in  a  costume  not  often  seen  in  the  lower  country, 
lie  \\ore  one  of  those  hunt ii)Lr->hirts.  of  plain  hlue  homespun, 
(ringed  with  ^reen.  such  as  denoted  the  mountain  ranker.  A 
n  M-.uf  was  wrappeil  ahoiit  his  waist,  with  a  helt  or  haldric 
of  hlack.  from  which  depended  a  very  genteel  cut-and-thi  list. 
On  his  shoulder  was  an  epaulette  of  peen  fringe  also;  and  lie 
c;trri«-d  in  his  hand,  plucked  from  his  hrows  as  he,  entered  the 
apartment,  a  cap  of  fur,  in  which  shone  a  lar;:e  ^av  button; 
hehind  which  may  have,  heen  worn  a  plume,  though  it  carried 
no'u-  at  p;ocnt.  The  costume  hctraved  a  cajitaiu  of  loyalist 
riflemen,  f'rum  tl  e  interior,  and  was  instantly  recognised  as  sucl 
hy  the  British  oflicer.  But  the  stranp-r  left  them  in  no  long 
surprise.  Advancing  to  the  t.-'hle,  with  tlnj  case  of  u  man  whe 


THE  I:AN  37 

beru  familiar  with  .-iffy  in    his   o»vn   p-^ion   all  hi* 

me.  yet  \\ith   a  I,,  •    i.l'  majlliei  v.'hici:  .    ;-.n    r<jual 

'.iy  life,  be  l«.r.ve«l  r.--  ji,.(  ii'ully  to 

the  ladie.>.  .-4 ii  1  then  addro&sod  himself  directly  to  !*<«.  Jour. 
••  Colonel  Jialfour,  I  reckon?" 
"  You  are  right,  sir  ;   1  am  Colonel  Balfour." 
"  Well,  colonel,  I'm  right  j:  you  here.      It  may  save 

me  a  journey  to   the  city,  and    I'm   too  much  in  a  hurry  in  p-i 
back  to   lo.-c   any  time  if  I  can   help   it.      I  'm  Captain  Fin 
of  the  True,  Hlne   Rifles,  of  whom,  I    ivrk"ii,  you've   hear-1  !'<•- 
i'ore.      I  've    ridden   mighty  hard  to  ^et  to   you,  and   li<> 
the  Inisii;.  ...n  as  may  In-,  that   I  conic  after.     ll< 

;el   TaiU'ton.      1  reckon  you   hain't  heard  the 
•if  the  mi.schict' that 's  happened  ;I!M.\. 
"  What   miM-hiet'/" 
"  You'vr  beard,  1  reckon,  that   Lord  Cornwallis  £avt»  Saratoga 

-  all  l.la/.t-s  at  Uu-.-!y's  Mills/" 
"  "1  •  \\e  know  all  that." 

"  Well,  hut   1   reckon  you  don't  know  that  just  when  ('..rnwal- 
lis  was   putting  it  t     i  .  in  one   (jiiarter,  hard-»iding  Tom  was 

giving  us  ir'nir.-r  in  another  T' 

hard-riding  TOIU  (" 

"  V  i    Suintcr,   to    lie    sure  —  the    ^ame-cnek.   as    they 

sometimes  call  him  ;    and,  sure  enough,  he's  got  cause  enough  to 

-on  n«iw." 

"  Anil  what  has  he  l.een  doing  ahovc?" 

*'  Well,  he  and  Tom  Tayl»r  hmke  into  Colonel  Carry's  ijuar- 
den    Kerry .   and    hmke    him    up,   root    and    branch, 
killing  and  capturing  all  hands." 
"  Hi  !    indeed  !    Carey  /" 

"  Yes.      And  that  isn't  all.      No  sooner  had  he  ddie  that  than 
he  sr- 

army;    1.  ::    the   thicket    upon  the  convoy.  ki!N  and 

captures    the    escort    to  a  man,  anil    snaps   up  the  who].' 
ment,  bag   and    b..  IV  witli  a 

'Hundred   ; 

"The   devil!      Forty  wagons,  as   I   live!      And  why  are  you 
We  r 


88  KATHA1UNK    W  ALTON. 

••  Mr  ',  '> '.ra  1  tht'.  letter,  Colonel.  Lord  (\>rnwaHis  1ms 
Tarletoii  after  Sumter,  ami  hoth  have  pine  oil'  at  dead  speed; 
hut  Tarkton  has  sent  me  down  to  you  with  my  lord's  letter  and 
his  own,  ami  they  want  fresh  supplies  sent  after  them  as  fa>t  as 
the  tiling  can  he  done.  I'm  wanting  some  sixty-live  rilles,  and 
as  many  hutcher-knives,  for  my  ovsn  troop,  and  a  few  pistols  for 
the  mounted  men.  Colcuel  Tarleton  told  me  yon  would  furnish 
all." 

Balfour  leaned  his  chin  upon  both  hands,  and  looked  vacantly 
around  him,  deeply  immersed  in  thought.  At  the  pause  in  the. 
dialogue  which  followed,  Katharine.  Walton  asked  the  stranger 
if  lie.  would  not  join  the  party  at  the  supper-tahle.  lie  fastened 
A  keen,  quick,  Searching  glance  upon  her  features;  their  eyes 
met  ;  hut  the  intelligence  which  Hashed  out  from  his  met  no 
RUSWerillg  Noire  in  hers.  He  answered  her  civilities  ^raecfully, 
and,  frankly  accepting  them,  proceeded  to  place  himself  at  the. 
tahle  —  a  MM!  having  heen  funii>hrd  him.  at  the  upper  end,  and 
very  near  to  her  own.  lialfour  ipon  the  stran-er  as  he 

In-held  this  arrangement;  hut  the  latter  did  not  perceive  the 
frown  upon  the  hrow  of  his  Mij>er'n<r.  He  had  soon  finished  a 
cup  of  the  warm  heveraire  put  heforc  him;  and,  as  if  apolo^ixing 
t',,i  §Q  ,-,.,,111  falling  for  a  frc.-h  sujiply,  he  ohserved,  while  passing 
up  his  cup  — 

"  1  've  ridden  mighty  far  to-day,  miss,  and  I  'm  as  thirsty  as 
an  Indian.  F.esides,  if  you  c(»//,l  make,  the,  next  cup  a  shad*' 
stronger,  1  think  I  should  like  it  hetter.  AVe  rangers  are  u>ed 
to  the  smallest  po^ihlr  ijtiautity  nf  water,  in  the  matter  of  our 

drinks." 

"The    impudent    backwoodsman  !"  was  the    muttered  remark 

:  ..dt'our  to  Cruden,  only  inaudihle  to  tlie  n'-t  ol  "the  company. 

•••.  1  \\-hich  co\rn-d  his  hrow  as  lie  spok<'.  and  the  evident 

00t    with    which    he.   turned    away    hi.s    eye*,    did    ttOl    escape 

th">«' iii' the   KaniT'-r;    and  a  merry  tu  inkle,  li-'lited  uj.dii  his  own 

a^  he  looked  in  the  direction  of  the,  fair    hoMe>s,  and  handed  nj, 

COp.       Had    Balfour  WAtehed    him  a  little    more    (•!•  .>••!%•,  it  ig 

tile  that  lie  miL-ht    iia\e    leinarkeil  K>metbi]1g  in  his  manner 

of  performing  this  trilling  otlire  which  would    have  afforded  new 

cause  of   provocation.      The    hand    o|'  the    Ranker  linjrerecl  neai 


I:\M;KR.  MU 

the  <Mip  until  a  rm^r.  wl.icdi    had    previously  t  •  ,.,„,„ 

his    little    tinker,  was   dropped    adroitly    hr^ide    the    -anrer,   and 
heyond  all  eyes  hut  hers  lor  wh..n,  it  was  intended.      Katharino 
instantly  c-o\  ».,v>i  the  tiny  hut  sparklm-  metweilger  h.-iivath 
hands.      She  knew  it  wrll.      A  sud<len  flush  wanned  ln-r  cheek j 
an.l,  trustin-   her.s.df  with   a   sin-le   planer  only  at  the  |tnu  . 
w  that  lie  was  recoe^iise<i. 


KATHAUINK    WALTON- 


CHAPTER    V. 

|\     MAXNKKS. 


THK  evening  repast,  in  the  £(.<.<!  old  times,  was  not  one  of 
your  einjity  shows,  such  as  it  appears  at  jiresent.  It  eonsi-;ed 
of  goodly  solids  of  several  descriptions.  Meats  shared  the  place 
with  delicacies;  and  tea  or  eojl'ee  was  the.  adjunct  to  such  jjrave 
pefBOnagefl  as  Sir  Loin,  Haron  lieef.  and  Viscount  Venison. 
Ualfour  and  Cruden  were  both  strongly  prepossessed  in  favor  of 
all  titled  dignitaries,  and  they  remained  in  goodly  communion 
with  such  as  these  for  a  h-n^er  period  than  would  seem  renson- 
nhle,  now  to  yield  to  a  supper-table.  Captain  Dickson  naturally 
followed  the  example  of  his  superiors  ;  and  our  loyalist  leader, 
Furness.  if  he  did  not  declare  the  same  tastes  and  sympathies 
in  general,  attested,  on  tiiis  occasion,  the  sharpness  of  an  appetite 
which  had  heen  mortified  hy  unbroken  denial  throughout  the 
day.  lint  the  moment  at  length  came  which  offered  a  reason 
able  pretext  to  the  ladies  for  leaving  the  tahle.  The  guests  no 
longer  appealed  to  the  fair  h<»>tes<  I'nr  rejtlenished  cups;  and, 
giving  the,  Ritual  to  her  excellent,  hut  frigid  and  statelv  aunt, 
Mrs.  Barbara.  Katharine  Walton  rose,  and  the  trentlemen  made 
a  like,  movement.  She  approached  Colonel  Balf"iir  as  she  did 
so,  and  laid  the  keys  of  the  house  hefore  him. 

"These,  sir,  I  may  as  well  place  at  once  in  your  keeping.  It 
will  patisfy  you  that  I  re'-o-nise  you  as  the  future  ma.ster  hen*. 
I  submit  to  your  authority.  The  servant.  Hacchus,  will  obey 
your  orders,  and  furnish  wha  yon  may  n-rpiin-.  The  wines  and 
BqUOn  are  in  that  sidrboanl,  of  which  yon  have  the  keys.  Good 

night,  sir;  good-night,  gentlemen  " 

The   rase,  ^I;K  e.  and   dignity,  r.ith  which  thifl  communication 


i.\    tfAOT  41 

was  made   surprised    Balfour  i.  ''nn^r    like   silence,     lie 

could  hardy  make  an  awkward  l.o\v  and  a  brief  acknowledgment 

as   >he  left   the   apartment,  closely  f»llourd    hy  her   aunt.      The 
g6Qtlemen  were  left  to  themselves  :    while  Bacchus,  at  a  m< 
distance,  stood  in  respectful  attendance. 

"By  my  lift'."  said  Cruden,  "the  ^irl  carries  herscdf  like  a 
<jiieen.  She  knows  how  to  hehave,  certainly.  She  knows  what 
is  t  xperted  of  her." 

"She  i'.v  a  quoen,"  roj)lied  Ralf  ur,  with  quite  a  hur>t  of 
entlnisiasin.  "I  only  wish  that  she  were  mine.  It  would  i 
me  feed  like  a  prince,  indeed.  I  should  iret  myself  crowned 
Kini;  of  Dorchester,  ami  my  ships  should  have  the  exclusive 
privilege  of  Ashley  river.  'The  Oaks'  should  he  my  winter 
retreat  from  the  ran*  of  royalty,  and  my  summer  palace  should 
he  at  the  junction  of  tho  two  rivers  in  Charleston.  I  should 
have  a  principality  —  small.it  is  true;  hut  snu^,  compact,  and 
with  larger  revenues,  and  a  territory  no  less  ample  than  many 
of  the  (M-rman  prim 

"lie  ware!"  said  Cruden  half  srrimisly.  "You  may  he  l.mii^Iit 
up  for  l> . w •-///,/  i 

"  T.-haw  !    w(>  are  on1  .  -  a  vain  jest,  and    in   the    p: 

ence  of  friends."  was  the  reply  of  r,;ilf<>ur.  irlaiicin^  ohli(juely  at 
Captain   Furness.      The  latter  \\  as   amusing   himsrlf,  meanwhih1, 

•lancing   his   teaspoon  upon    the    rim    of  his   cup.       A  - 
smile  played  upon    his  mouth  as  he  listened    to  the  i-iiuver-.-iti..]! 
in  which    he  did  not  seem    t  '•>    partake.      Following  tho 

•f  Halfour,  which  watched    the  loyalist  curiously,  tl; 
•idrii   w;i>  arrested  rather  1-v  the  occu]i;it  ion    than  the  ! 
of  that    pei><-M.      lli.s  mode  «>f  amusing   himself  with    the   sjtoon 
Q  of  an    entirely  new  train  <  f  thought  to  the  ••••m 

miaaionef  "f  seijucs; .  ;I;(-,!  ,•.; 

"  By  the   way.  Balfnur.   this    1- 
ohserve  V 

"  What  looks  su 

"I>o    you    TemtMiiher    the    Bubjccl    of    ^!iich    we    sjiok' 
stlj.pcr  \  —  the    plate    <>{'  this    rel  rl  \V;,ltoii  ;       If   wa>    u:. 

to  he  a  Hngularljr-extennve collection  —  pchf  Tarious. and  h;_ 

valuahlc.       V"U    lemaik    imiu'    of  it    here  —  nothing  hut    a    t 


i-J  KATHARINE    WALTON. 

garly  collection  of  old  spoons.  The  coffee -pot  i^  tin  or  pewter; 
the  tea-service,  milk-pot,  and  all,  of  omnium  ware.  1  am  afraid 
the  plate  has  followed  the  jewels  of  the  young  lady,  and  found 
its  way  into  tin-  swamps  "f  Marion." 

>\rl  gathered  upon  the  1. row  of  Halfour,  as  he  glanced 
rapidly  over  tin-  table.  The  next  moment,  without  answering 
(Yuden,  he  turned  to  Bacchus,  who  stood  in  waiting  with  a  face 
the  most  inexpressive,  and  said  — 

••I   ,ke  the  keys,  Cupid,  and   get   out  some  of  the  best  wines. 
You  have  sonic  old  Jamaica,  have  you  not  ?" 
The  reply  was  atlimativc. 

that  a  bottle  of  it  is  in  readiness.  Let  the  su^ar-bowl 
remain,  and  keep  a  kettle  of  water  on  the  lire.  This  done,  you 
tnav  lea\e  the  room,  hut  remain  within  call." 

He  WM  promptly  oheyed.      The   conversation    ilaggcd    mean- 

wh;ie.       Crudei!    felt    himself   rehuked,  and    remained    modestly 

t,  hut  not  the  less  moody  on  the  siihject  \\hich  had  occasion 

I'll    his  remark.      llalfour  referred    t«»  it    soon  after  the  disapprai- 

of  I'.acchus. 

"  It  is  as  y.m  sav.Cruden  ;  there  is  certaiidy  no  display  hef«»rc 
US   of  the   precious    metals.      I    had    really  not  ol»ser\ed   the  ah- 
them    hefore.      In    truth,  everything  was  so   neatly  ar 
ranged    ;ind    BO  appropriate,  that    1    could    fancy  no    delieiencies 
les.  m v  eves  \\ere    satisfied    to    look    only    in   one   direction 
The  jrirl  ahsorhed   all    my  admiration.      That    she    has    not 
sell    --one    into   the   camp  of  Marion,  is   my  consolation.      I   shall 
compound  \\ith    you  cheerfully.       You   shall    ha\e    tin-    plat, 
that  you  may  find,  and   the  damsel  comes  to  me." 

The    cheek*    of    the    loyalist    captain,    had    they    can-ht    the 

!  that  moment,  of  the  commandant  of  ( 'harle.-toii,  wmihl 

h.-i\-  -I    a    peculiar    interest    in  the   suhject    nf  \\hirh    he 

iened  e\(  n  to  his  foreliead    and  the  spoon  slid 

from  Irs  lingers  into  tin-  nip.      But  he  said  nothing,  and  the  Mif- 

ed  from   Id-  face  u:ino: 

"  I    am    afraid    than    you  would    L'et    the    hest    of  the      nr-.'dn 
Hu»    it    may  he    that    the    ;  11  in   the  establishment.      Jt 

would  h<  hrou-ht  out  on  ordinary  iM-easions." 

"Ordinary  MO-;IM.,IIS  !      Our  vi-it    an    ordii  ary  !"   ei- 


[N     M  \\N  43 

claimed  lialfnur.      "I. ay  not  tli.it  llatterin^  unction  to  \ 
my  good    fellow         l! ..  •>•  •<  'arolinian-  low  Sdcb  < 

tn  ex-ape    tlu-in   of   making   a   display.      The 

would  .-p.  y  available  vessel  of  silver  at  the  entn 

-   ->f   our  rank.      N 

make  them  glorious  in  our  eyes,  and  prompt    u>   to  proper  -rati- 
iu  theirs.      They  would  certainly  crowd  sidehourd  ami  MI;>- 
'.il'le  with  all  tlie  pl.ite  in  tlie  estahlishmcnt." 
"Ay.  r-alfour;    hut   that  were  no  polity,  it' we 

Would    they  tempt   eupi<i' 

exhihitioi  Scarcely!      They  wuu!  t    to 

hide  a\\a\  ." 

"As  if  they  knew  not  that  \vr  I  they  at 

hide!      N...  HO,  my  deiir  fellow;    I  am  afraid  tii.it   \oiir 
jectui'e    is    the    ri^ht  one..      If  the    woman    irive->    her  jewels,  it  is 
prohahle    that    the    plate  went    hefore.       Hut   we  <hall   v»M.  i,. 
Meanwhile,    1    am    for  some    of  tin 

tain  l-'urne.xs,  let  us  drink  contusion  t.,  the  enemy." 

sji."  u;is  the  readv  answer.      "I   ai:.  \  illin^ 

for  that        I  am  willing  t<»  spoil  the  Kjryptiaiis  in  ;iny  \\ 

u  do  things  here  helow.  makes  ouc'.s  moul 
\\'.        .  .  little  chance    in   OH 

much  £«md  when  we  p«>p    into    an    61  '••!.       'i'l 

monstrous   small    supp!-.  >od   liquo 

country.      Thi-  «  !ean'm_L'  out    of  a    rel 
won't  ;;i\e  more  than  a  tea>j«..oj|  round  to  the 
like    mine;    ami    the    profits    hardly  enough    to    n-coni-I 
taking    the    pap-sj»oon    oj-.t    of  a    bill  to   run    into 

Spanish  dollars.   But  here,v in  these  rich  parts,  you  ba1  l.iri- 

•  »u>  pickll  {B|  thai   1  I  ;catly  to  he  j>ut  on 

"Pickin-  nied    I'-alfour.  lifting   I. 

in^  the  lo\al:st   from  head   t  ;ie  held  the  u:.'  1-let 

suspended  hefore  his  lips — "pickings  !       \Vli\. 
if  tlie  otlici-rs  honoi'eil  with  the  roiiimis>i..u  of  his  i;  -uid 

possit.ly  itOOp  to    •  t'  sharii:r.  the 

confiscated  pom 

"To  be  sure,  colonel  ;  that's  whftJ 
demanded  the  loyai  iu-«l. 


14  K. \Tir\Ki\i:  \v\i., 

"My  pood  sir,  be  a  little  wiser;   <lo  not  speak  so  rashly,     //et 
me  enlighten  you." 

"Pray  «lo  •    I'll  thank  yon,  colonel." 

"To  distress  the  enemy,  to  deprive  them  of  the  means  to  bo 
mischievous,  alone  causes  the  sequestration  of  their  goods  and 
chattels.  These  goods  and  chattels  must  be  taken  care  of.  It 
m;iv  he  that  these  rebels  will  make  proper  submission  hereafter, 
will  make  amends  for  past  errors  by  future  service  ;  and,  in  such 
will  b«-  admitted  to  his  majesty's  favor  and  receive  their 
-ions  at  his  hands  again,  subject  only  to  such  drawbacks  as 
How  necessarily  from  the  expense  of  taking  care  of  the  property, 
commissions  on  farming  it,  and  unavoidable  waste.  These  com 
missions  are  generally  derived  from  mere  movables,  silver  and 
gold,  plate  and  jewel*,  which,  as  tliey  might  be  lost,  are  at  once 
appropriated,  and  Mie  estate  credited  with  the  appropriation 
against  the  cost  «.nd  trouble,  of  taking  care  of  it.  That  the 
-  in  his  majesty's  commission  should  employ  this  plate,  is 
simply  that  his  majesty's  service  may  he  sufficiently  honored  and 
may  command  due  respect.  Selfish  motives  have  no  share  in 
the  transaction.  We  have  no  '  pickings,'  sir  —  none;!  A(>j>i'o- 
/iriti/iftns,  indeed,  are  made  ;  but,  as  you  see,  solely  lor  the  equal 
benefit  of  the  property  Itself,  tl  in  which  we  are.  en. 

and  the  honor  of  his  majesty.  Do  you  comprehend  me,  my 
young  friend  /" 

"  Perfectly,  sir;    perfectly.      1  see.      Nothing  can  be  clearer." 

"Do  not  use  that  vulgar  phrase,  again,  1  pray  you.  in  the 
hearing  of  any  of  hi.^  majesty's  representative-.  'Tickings' 
may  do  among  our  loyalist  natives.  We  do  not  deny  them  the 
small  privilege!  of  which  you  have  spoken.  Yon  have  emptied 
in  your  experience,  1  understand,  some  good  wives'  cupboards 
in  Ninety-Six.  You  have  grown  wealthier  in  tea  and  pap-spoons, 
ght  enough.  The  laborer  is  worthy  of  his  hire.  These, 
nre  tb'  !:h  which  his  majesty  permits  his  loyal  servants 

to  reward  them^ •!'.  .  I'ut,  even  in  your  c-ise.  my  young  frieiwl, 

the    h-  iy    about    the    matter    the    better.       Remember, 

always,  that  what  is  appropriated  is  in  the  name,  and,  roiiHs 
queritly,  for  the  uses  of  his  majesty.  But  no  more  *  pickings/ 
if  yon  love  me/ 


:\   MANN  4o 

An  air  of  delicate1  horror  alu  >mpnnied   tin*   use.  of  the, 

jffrnsive  jilirnse-.      The   loyalist   captain  professed   many  regret* 
at  the,  errors  of  his  igHOranC6. 

"1    see,  I    see;    'appropriations'    is   tlie    word,  not    '  pickings' 
There  is  a  good  deal   in  the  distinction,  which   did  not  occur  t^ 
IMC-  het'ore.      In  fact,  I  only  use   the  phrase  which    is  common   to 
us   in  the  np  country.      Our   people  know  no  Letter  ;    and    I    ;im 
half  inclined  to  think  that,  were  I  to  insist  upon  '  appropriat' 
instead  of  '  pickings/  they  would  still  he  mulish  enough 
that  they  meant  the  same  thinir." 

1'alfour  turned  an  inquisitive  glance  upon  the  speaker;  hut 
there  was  nothing  in  his  face  to  render  his  remark  equivocal.  It 
•  •d  really  t<>  flow  from  an  inn-M-eni  inexperience,  which 
never  dreamed  of  the  covert  sneer  in  his  answer.  lie  i 
his  wine  as  he  finished,  and  once  more  resumed  his  seat  at  the 
tal-le.  So  did  Cruden.  N  dfour.  With  \\\<  arm- 

hind  him,  ai'icr  a  fashion  which  Nap'denii,  in  sill-sequent  periods, 
ha-  Made  famous,  if  not  graceful,  our  commandant  proceeded  to 
the  apartment,  carrvin^  on  an  OCCAfiOIud  .:ion  with 

CruMi-n.  and,  at  intervals,  Mihjectin^  Funi"»s  to  a  -ort  of  iii.(n;-- 
itori.-il  pro, 

"  What  did  you  see,  Captain  Kurness.  in  your  route   from  the 

I  )id  you  meet  anv  oi' oui-  ]•••  "iid  von 

a«y !hiu^  of  Mario- 

•  much,  colonel  ;    hut  I  had  a  mighty  nan  •    trom 

nail   squad,  well-mounted,  under  Major  Singleton,      rp-m 

what   1  could    heai'.  they  were    the  same   le!!o\\>  that   have 
kicking  up  a  dust  in  these  parts." 

"Ha!     did    you    meet    them  T'    demanded    ("ru'leu.       "Ho\v 
\\«-re  there  !" 

"  1    i  ••'!-:. in  there    may  have    heen    thirty  or    t!  — per 

haps  forty  nil  told." 

••  Y««ii  beat  .'"    sai-!  Cruden. 

"Yes,    yes!"    rather    impatiently    was    the    reply    of    IJalfnu 
"  Rut  how  kne\\;y«tu  that  t!  Vton's  n:. 

"  Well  it  so  happened    that    I        '  ^n  tlir 

road,  while    1    w;i  1  \-    the    Imisli.      I     pushed 

woods  out  of  si^ht,  as  they  went  hy.  and  found  m\  .-niy 


4»»  KATHAWNK    WALTON. 

upon  a  m;.;i    a  po->r  devil  enondi,  wh->  was  looking  for  a  hiding^ 

B  as  well  U  myself.      H«<  knew  all  ahout  them;  knew  what 

they    had    heen    after,    an. I    heard    what    they    had    done.     His 

name    was  Cammer  ;    lie  wa.s   a  I  Jntchmaii,  out   of  the   Forks  of 

"  What  mute  did  they  pursue  .'" 

"  I'p  tlie  road,  pushing  f»r  the  east,  1  reckon." 

\iiil  you  want  rilles  and  satires,  eh  /" 
•    A    d  a  fe\\    pistolft,  c.iloiii'1." 

••  I  i  .  YOU  tup]  o  «•  that  you  have-  imu'l    work  before  you,  aftei 
th  !ii!  ila:i«m  «\'  (Jates  at  Camden  I" 

W.-ll.    1     reckon    there  was   no    annihilation,    exactly.      The 

for   that.      They  are   jrathrrin-r  ajrain.  BO   they 

report,  pretty  thick    in    North    Carolina,  and    are  showing   thein- 

1    than  e\er  in  our   up-country.      The  fact    is,  coio- 

nel.  though    J.ord    ( '..rnwallis    has    pv«-u    dates    a    most    lam  MIS 

druhhiu^.  it    isii't    «|u'.te    sufficient    to  cool    the    rehels.      The    first 

•  •I    took    the    city,  i-<    rather  wearing    off,    and    the 

moic  ,.  tO  the  -omul  of  mu-ket  hnllets,  the  less  they 

iit    them.      The    truth    is,  yotlT    l>riti>h    soMi.M* 

don't     know    much    ahout    the    u-e    of    the    Lrun,   as   a    shooting 

i  :ir    Mire    si^ht    of    our   native    w 1s- 

mcn.      'J'lu-v    arc   ^reat    at    the    push    of  the   hayonet,  and    drivt- 
\thin-   lu-forr  them:    hut  at  IOMJJ  shot,  tin-  ndiels  only  l.in^h 
at  them." 

"  I  .a;;  j  !,.  •:••  t 

••'11  lonely  and  our  people  know  it ;  and  i!n»u«:li 

they  nm  fa-t    •  '  om  the  haymiet,  yet    it's   hut    ivisonaMe. 

oidd    do  .so.  as   they  have    nothing  hut    the    ritle    to  push 

I :   :hi-y  lia<l  muskets  with  hay-met-,  1  do  thiiiK  tin  \  M 

S-»oi,  enough  to  stand  a  little  longer,  and  tr\   at  the 

!i  .1   clever  opj.ortllli/ 

"  That's  your  oj»inion,  is  it  {" 

•    mi;ie  oidy,  hut  his   lordship,  himsel;, 

h  m.  with  my  own  e.tr>.  though  it  made  ('nlone:  ianjrh." 

i  well  he  m';_'ht  lau-h  !      Stand  'he  hayonet  against  Hrit- 
r          ,  that  hi>  loi-dshij.  .should  Hatter  the  scoun- 

-  with  any  sm-h  ahsnrd  npiiiu.n." 


VERS  47 

"  >v.-!i  no*  .  •  "lonel.  v.  itli  due  regard  to  \  our  hett.-r  judgment, 
[  don*t  fee  Uiat  there's  any  thing  .i-Minl  in  it.    o 

come..!'  tin-   stme    breed  \\ith    the    Kn«rli>h,  ami   if  tl.. 
Kritish  training,  1   reckon  they' •!  show  themselve>  ijiiite  aa  much 
men  as  the  hot.      NOW,  I'm  ADI    i\  •»•  l.m-n  American  m;. 
1  think  I'm  just  as  little  Kkely  ;  -1  hy  a  h, 

man   I    kim\v.      Tin   not    u.-ed    to  the  weapon,  I    allow;    hut 
me    tinu'  and    practice,  so  as    to  -rt    ,,,y  ],.,,,,]  jn    .„„]    j 
Von,   I'd    m.t    he  the  lir-t    U)  -.;,    •  Back    (Hit,  hoys,  a   1;;; 

ng.1       I'eopU-    ti^ht  more  or  le--  hravely.  as   they  tLrlit  with 
tliei:  en,  knowing   all   tl  •  n  jjnnm.i 

ACCtUitomed  to,  and  hav:i!Lr  a  weajn.n  that's  familiar  to  the  hand. 
The  riile  is  pretty  mneh  the  \\cajnni  for  nnr  j>eoj»h'.      I; 

I  nia  a  well-w !,•,!  country.      Hut    take  Tom 

them  alto^etlier.  and  train  them  every  day  with  musket  and  i 
onet,  with  tlie   feul  of  their   nei^ldior's  tdliow  ad    the    while,  and 
what  you  can  make  of  them  in  six  month- 

"  My  Lr<>od    friend,   Furnes>.  it  is   ijtiite  to  your  honor  th 
think  well  of  the  capacities  of  your  countrym'-n.      It  will    !  < 
service  to  you,  when  yon  come  to  confront  our  kind's  enemi< 
hattle;    hut  yoU  ;ire  >till  a  very  y<.iin:r  man  —  " 

"Thirty-tWO,  if  I'm  a  day.  colonel." 

"  Vonnir  in  exjMTieiice.  my  fnond,  if  not  in  yeai^.      When  yoi, 
tnbre  of  the  world,  you  will  Irani  tha'  net 

is   the  derived    and    appointed  weapon  for   a  I'.iitivh    .-oldier  , 
all  nations.      lie  mav  he  >aid  to  he  horn  to  it.      It  idv 

made  for  him.      NO  p,.,,p!e  !  :  him  with  it.  and    take  my 

word  for  it  n->  people  will." 

"  I   nle>-.  a-     1    was    -avinir,  a    jieoph>    of  the    same    hi'i-ed — ;i 
tout:1  peiijili-.  Mich  us  our>  —  that  can  -land  hard  knock-, 

mid    ne\er    -kulk    'em  when    they  know    \ 
srrn  our  people  (i^ht,  and  they  li^ht  well.  . 

"  A-  at    ( 

'•There  they  did'nt  ti-ht  at  all;    hnf  th.  I   — " 

"  Let    n-   ta'  I 

feel  sure  that  you  wiil   fighl   \\ell  when  th> 
wliile.  let  us  drink,     • 
with   you,   man.       Our  -dish   fo» 


48  KATFTARfNF    .V  ALTON. 

Madeira.     This  is  as  old  n&  any  in  the  country.     What  would 

;iy  to  such  a  bottle  in  England?" 

•'  What !  can't  they  get  it  there  ?"  demanded  the  loyalist  cap 
tain,  with  an  air  of  unaffected  wonderment. 

,   indeed,   Furness.      You  have  the  climate   for  it.      You 
you  have  yet  to  live  and  leam.     Our  royal  master,  George 
the   Third,  has  no  such   glass  of  wine   in  his   cellar.      Come,  fill, 
Cruden,  shall  I  drink  without  you?" 

"  I'm  with  you  !      (live  us  a  sentiment." 

"  Well  !  Here's  to  my  Altamira,  the  lovely  Katharine  Wal 
ton  ;  may  she  soon  take  uj>  arms  with  her  sovereign!  Hey! 
You  don't  drink  my  toast,  Captain  Furncss  .'" 

"  I  finished  my  glass  before  you  gave  it,  colonel." 

"  Fill  again  !  and  pledge  me,  !  You  have  no  objections  to  my 
sentiment  {" 

"  None  at  all  !  It  don't  interfere  with  a  single  wish  of  mine. 
I  don't  know  much  about  the  young  lady  ;  but  I  certainly  wish, 
in  her  c  i>e,  as  in  that  of  all  other  unmarried  young  women,  that 
sin*  may  soon  find  her  proper  sovereign." 

••  1  see  you  take  me.  Ha!  ha!  You  are  keen,  sir,  keen.  I 
certainly  entertain  that  ambition.  IT  1  can't  be  master  over 
Dorchester  and  the  Ashley,  at  all  events,  I  shall  aim  to  acquire 
the  sovereignty  over  her.  Cruden,  my  boy,  you  may  have  the, 
ancient  lady  —  the  aunt.  She  is  a  gem,  believe  me  —  from  the 
antique!  Nay,  don't  look  so  wretched  and  disgusted.  She  is 
an  heiress  in  her  own  right,  has  lands  and  negroes,  my  friend, 
en<>ugh  to  make  yon  happy  for  life." 

••  No  more  of  that,  Nesbitt.  The  matter  is  quite  too  serious 
for  : 

i:aw  !  drink  !  and  forget  your  troubles.  Your  head  is  now 
running  on  that  plate.  What  if  it  is  gone,  there,  are  the  lands, 
the  and  a  crop  just  harvesting  —  some  nine  hundred 

barrels  of  rice,  they  tell  me!" 

A  sly  expression  pa»ed  over  the  features  of  the  loyalist  cap 
tain,  as  Halfnur  enumerated  the  goods  and  chattels  still  liable  to 
the  grasp  of  the  seijuestrator  ;  but  he  said  nothing.  Italfour  now 
approached  him.  and  putting  on  an  air  of  determined  business 
remarked  abruptly  — 


!.\    If  AVI  -IH 

"So.  Captain  r'urness,  you  dcsii.  tn  me  to  ('In 

for  anus  I" 

olonel  ;  ;m<l  that's  a  matter  I  \\  ish  to  speak 
abcut.  I  wish  the  anus,  but  do  not  wish  to  go  to  ( 'liai  leston 
lor  them,  as  I  hear  you've  got  the  small-pox  and  yellow  fever 
in  that  place." 

"  Pshaw  !  They  never  trouble  genteel  people,  who  live  lie 
centlv  and  drink  (>1<1  Madeira  " 

"  Hut  a  poor  captain  ofloyalists  don't  often  get  a  cliance,  colo 
nel,  of  feeding  on  old  Madeira." 

"  1''  .  .  '  i  on  it  !  Hy  Jove,  I  like  the  phrase  !  It  is  appro 
priate  to  g 1  living.  One  might  fatten  on  such  stuff  as  this 

witliout   am-  other   diet,   and    defy  lexer   and    tin-  ague.       Afraid 
of  small-pox  .'       Why,  Captain    Furness.  a  go,,d    .soldier  i.s  a! 
of  nothing." 

"  Nolhing,  c  donel.  tliat  he  can  light  against,  to  be  Mire;  but 
dealing  with  an  enemy  whom  you  can't  cudgel,  is  to  Mair!  a 
miglitv  bail  chance  of  .  :ing  the  victoi  v.  We  folk 

the    back    country  have    a  monstrous   great    dread  of   smal!-|><>\. 
That   was   the   reason  they  could  ;jrt    so  f,-\v  of  the  people  : 
down    to    Charleston    when    vmi    came    against    it.      Thev    could 
have    nuisteied    three    thousand  more   men,  if  it    hadn't    been  lor 

"  It's  well  they  didn't.      Hut  there's  no  need  of  your  g. 
the  city  if  you  don't  wish    it.      You   can    stay  here  with  Cmden, 
or  in  Dordl6ftor,  till   1  send  on  the  yvagons." 

"That'll  do  me,  exactly  ;  and  now,  colonel,  if  you  have  no 
objections,  I'll  find  mv  wav  to  a  sleeping  place.  I've  had 

:dride  ot  it  to-day  —  more  than  fortv-tive  miles  —  and  I 
it  in  all  n.  •. 

"We  can  sjiare  \i-u.       Ho,  there!  —  .lupiter!  —  Cupid  1" 

"  liacchus,   I  think  they  call  him,"  said  the  loyalist. 

"Ay!      Hnw  should    I    forget   when  the  Madeira  is  bef 

B,  sir,  captain,  let    us   t.,ke    the  ;  'I 

.  to  see  these  bottles  under  the  table  before   I   leave  it." 

FurnesH    declined  ;    and,    at    that  •     H.icchiis    maile    hit 

appearance. 

"Find  a  chambei  ror  this  gentleman."  sa'ul  tlio  commandant. 


fiU  KATHAKINK    WAl.TOX. 

am\.  l.i.Mini:    the     British    officers    good    ni-ht,  Funics*   left    the 

apartment    UH  ."ice  of  tl,e    neglO.      When    they  had 

Into  the  passage-way    t'~  l"yali*t   eaptain,  to  the  p'-at 

mrpriM  of  the  former,  ].ut  his  band  familiarly  upon  his  shoulder 
and  in  sulnlued  tones,  said  — 

••  Bacchus,  do  you  not  know  n 

The  fellow  started  ami  exclaimed  — 

"  Mas>  Uohert,  is  it  you?  —  and  you  r»»»t  afear'd  ?" 

-Hush.  Bacchus;    DOt    R  wonl,  hut    in  a  whisper.      Where  am 
I   to  sleep  .'" 

"  In  the  hlue  room,  sir." 

"  Very  gOO  1  :    let    us   <ro  thither.      After  that,  return  to   these 
£iMitlemen,  and  kee]>  an  eye  on  them." 

••  But  vou're  ii'-ini:  to  see  youn-r  mis 

••  Ve-;    hut   1  must  do  it  cant iously ." 

\,,d  voua'n't  afear'd  to  come  hen-!      Perhaps  you  -rot  your 
pe,,ple  with  you,  and  will  make  a  smash  amon-  these  red-coats?" 
But   we    muM    say  as    little    as    possihle.      CJo    forward, 
and   1   will  tell  you  further  what  is  to  he  done." 

The  , ducted  the  supposed  loyalist— passing  throu-h 

til(.  and    thence    ascending 

;,  tii-ht  of  steps  to  the  upper  story.  Here  another  passage, cor 
responding  in  part  with  that  helow.  opened  upon  them,  which, 
in  turn,  opened  upon  another  avenue  conducting  to  wm^s  «•!  the 
huihlini:.  In  one  of  tlu-e  \\;is  the  chamher  assio-ne<l  to  Kurness. 
they  were  pi'ocee.iin-.  when  a  door  of  one  of  the  apart- 
n.em>  of  tin-  main  l.uildiui:  ITM  Been  to  open.  The  loyalist 
pMii^ed.  and.  in  a  whisper,  said  — 

chltS,  to  my  chamher  with  the  li.-ht.      (Vver  it  when 
,    ,|IM,'    it   nill    not    he  seen    l.y  the  soldiers   from 
without.      Meanwhile.   1    will  speak  to  your  miotn 

,,,--,0   disappeared,  and    Katharine   Walton    in    the   next 
moment,  joined  the  straii^T. 

-Oh.  K'.heit.  how  can  \  on  so  venture  (      Why  jiut  your  head 
int..  I  of  the  ! 

M  1.,  •  in  follow  th  i      te,      We  -hall  I.e.  more  secure 

[foul  and    his  com,,  DCp  in  the  chamher   holow,  1  sup 

p.-  • 


BT8     IN      M  \  N  M 


:>'•.  then,  and  I  will   try   lo  satisfy   all  yOUrdoabU,  ami  ,,uirl 
all  \i>ur 


Aii.l  Hi,'  sprakrr  fnl.lc.l  his  anus  tnidrrly  :I|M>II(  tin-  uaist  ,,f  ||,,. 
inai.lrn.  as  hr  ],,l  h.-r  forwanl  thn.ii-h  a  p«Hgf  that  smn,  ,|  r.juallv 
familiar  to  ln>th  the  parties. 


KATHARINE    WAI/10M. 


CHAPTER    VI 

L(»VK     I'ASS.MiKS. 

now,  Robert,"  said  Katharine  Walton,  "  tell  mo  tho 
i  CM  son  of  this  rashness.  AVhy  will  you  so  peril  yourself,  and  at 
a  moment  when  the  memory  of  that  dark  and  terrible  scene  in 
which  you  rescued  my  lather  from  a  base  and  cruel  deatli  still 
lills  my  eyes  and  heart  f  What  do  YOU  expect  here  •  What 
would  you  do?  —  which  prompts  you  to  incur  this  danger  .'" 

"Ah,  Kate,,"  replied  her  companion,  fondly  clasping  her  to 
his  bosom,  "  were  it  not  a  sufficient  answer  to  boast  that  my 
coming  provokes  such  a  sweet  and  tender  interest  in  you  /  The 
gentle  concern  which  warms  the  bosom  of  the  beloved  one  is 
surely  motive  enough  to  stimulate  the  adventure  of  a  soldier  ; 
and  I  find  a  consolation  from  all  toils  and  perils,  I  assure  you, 
in  a  moment  of  meeting  and  satisfaction  so  precious  as  this.  If 
yoi'  will  censure,  my  rashness,  at  least  give  credit  to  my  fondness. 

"Do  I  not,  Robert  I  And  is  not  this  further  proof  of  your 
HtftChment,  added  to  so  many,  which  1  never  can  forget,  as  dear 
to  me  as  any  hope  or  treasure  that  1  own  /  Hut  there  is  some. 
other  motive.,  1  am  sure,  for  your  presence  now.  1  know  that 
you  are  not  the  person,  at  a  season  when  your  services  arc  HO 
necessary  to  the  country,  to  bestow  any  time  even  upon  your 
affections,  which  might  better  be  employed  elsewhere 
Surely,  there  is  a  cause  which  brings  y>n  into  the  snares  of  our 
enemies,  of  a  nature  to  justify  this  raslm. 

"  There  is  —  there   is,  dear    Kate.;    and   you   are  only  right    in 
HUpnosing  that,  precious  as    it  is    to  me    to  enjoy  your   presence, 
and    clasp   you  in    fond   embrace,  even    this   pleasure   could    not 
beguiled  me  now  from  the  duties  of  the  camp." 


LOVE    PASSAUKS.  53 

"Hut  how  have  you  deceived  these  people  /" 

"  How  (I'nl  I  deceive  you,  Katr  /  You  did  not  see  through. 
my  disguise;  you  who  know  me  M.  \\ell,  any  more  than  Halfour 
and  Cruden,  to  uhoin  I  am  so  utterly  unknown." 

"  True —  true;  and  yet,  that  I  did  not  detect  you,  niav  be 
owinur  t«»  tin-  fact  tliat  I  seam-ly  noted  your  entrance  «>r  appear 
ance.  1  took  lor  granted  tliat  you  were  one  of  the  enemy,  and 
.on  scarce  a  look.  Wlien  I  knew  you,  I  wondered  that 
1  hail  been  deceived  for  a  moment.  Had  I  not  hern  al*orhed 
hy  my  own  anxieties,  and  prepossessed  a-ain^t  your  appearance, 
1  should  liave  seen  through  your  disguise  without  an  etVort." 

"  Vet   1'acchus  knew  me  as  little  as  yonnelf." 

"  Fur  the  same  n-asons,  (Imihtlrss.      lint  what  is  the  hi>ti>ry  ••! 
this  dis^ui>e,  liohert  I      And  is  there  a  real  Captain  Fun.' 

"There   is.      We    surprised    him  yesterday  on    his  way  to   the 
city,  and  soi.n  after  1  had  >eparated    !'n>m  your  lather.      li 
ters  and  papers  .    the  deception;    and    I  did  not  scruple 

to  employ  the  contents  nf  his  saddle-ha^s  in  making  my  appear- 
-pond  with  his.      We  are  m-t  unlike  in  si/e,  and  there 
is  something  of  a   likeness   in  the    face    between   us.      A 

of  considerable  importance   depends  upon   my  sun 
ition   of  the    imposture.      "UV.    >hall    procure    a    suj»plv  <>f 
arms  and   ammunition,  which    is  peatly  wanted   in   camp;    and 
possibly    efiect  some   other   objects,  which    1    need    not   detail    to 
you." 

"  I'.ut  the  peril,  Robert." 

"  You  have  become,  strangely  timid  and  apprehen>i\  e.  Kate, 
all  on  ,  .,,u  would  have  welcomed  any  peril,  for 

yourself  as  well  as  me,  which  promised  glorious  results  in  war  or 
htrata^em.      Now  —  " 

"A!-  :t,the    la>t    feu"  days   have   served    t 

that    I    am  but    a  woman.      The  danger    from  which 
my  father  brought  out  all  my  weakness.      I  believe  that  1  have 
jrreat    and    unusual    strength    for  one  of  my  sex  ;     but    I    feel    a 
shrinking    at    the  Iieart,  n<>w.  that 

were  all  my  d   aj-prcciafion  of  the  «rreat  per.' 

our  peoplfl  fd.       Kobeit.  dear    ]{»' 

torero  this  adventure.      Yon  surely  do  not  mean  to  visit  the  city  ?" 


;,  I  KATHAHIXK  WALTON. 

••  Not  if  I  can  help  it.  Tin-  small  -jinx  furnishes  a  good  ox 
QtUe,  which  Halfour  is  prepared  to  acknowledge,  lint  heol  n.>l 
me.  At  all  events,  entertain  no  apprehension.  1  am  not  so  un 
prepared  for  danger  as  you  think.  I  have  a  pretty  little  s<jnad 
in  the  Cypress,  and  can  summon  them  to  my  side  in  an  hour. 
True,  they  are  n»t  eiiual  to  -uiy  open  effort  against  such  a  loive 
as  is  now  at  Dorchester.  But  let  Hal  four  disappear,  and  your 
father  but  get  the  recruits  that  he  expects,  and  we  shall  \vaiu, 
the  old  tahhy  walls  for  them  with  a  vengeance." 

••  Whither  has  my  father  gone  ?" 

"To  the  southward  —  along  the  Kdisto.  He.  may  probably 
range  as  far  as  the  Savannah.  He  has  ten  of  my  followers 
with  him,  which  straitens  me  somewhat.  Hut  for  this,  1  had 
heen  tempted  to  have,  dashed  in  among  these  rascals  here,  and 
taken  oil'  the  commandant  of  Charleston,  with  his  mercenary 
commissioner  of  .sequestration.  If  you  only  iiad  heard  their  dis- 
cuvion  upon  the  division  of  your  plate  and  jewels  !  the  beasts  !" 

"  You  must  have  laughed,  surely  I" 

••  Knowing,  as  I  did,  to  what  market  the  plate  and  jewels 
went,  it  was  certainly  hard  to  keep  from  laughing  outright.*1 

"  Alas!  Robert,  this  reminds  me  that  the  evil  so  long  antici 
pated,  has  come  at  last.  You  hear  that  I  am  to  be  dispossessed. 
•The.  Oaks'  must  know  a  new  proprietor,  and  the  servants  — 
that  is  the  worst  thought  —  they  will  be  scattered;  they  will  be 
dragged  on"  to  the  city,  and  made  to  work  at  the  fortifications, 
and  finally  shipped  to  the  \Ve>t  Indies." 

"  I  can  laugh  at  them  there  too,  Kate  ;"  and  her  companion 
could  not  entirely  suppress  a  chuckle. 

-HowT 

"Never  mind;  better  that  you  should  know  nothing.  You 
will  know  all  in  the  morning." 

"Can  it  be  that  you  have  got  the  negroes  on",  Robert  ?" 
"Ah!  you  will  sufl'er  me  to  have  no  secrets.  They  will  all 
be  off  before  daylight.  Many  of  them  are  already  snug  in  the 
Cypress,  and  a  few  days  will  find  them  safe  beyond  the  Santee 
The  house  servants  alone  are  left,  and  such  of  the  others  as  0111 
British  customers  will  be  scarcely  persuaded  to  take.  Our  \  en 
•rable  'Daddy  Hram'  is  here  still,  with  his  wool  whiter  than  the 


LOVI: 

moss;    and    Bttpio,  who  WAfl   an  old    man,  according   to  hi*  .<wn 
showing  in  the  Old    French  War;   and    Dinah,  who  is  the 
Methnsaleh  ot'  all    the.  Ashley,  and    a  d.i/.eii  others  of  the 
cla.ss.      Halfour'.s  lace  will   he  quite  a  study  as  he  makes  tin 

••ry.      But  this  is  not  all.      We  have  taken  oil  the  entire  .stud 
—  every  horse,  plough,  draught,  or  saddle,  that  was  of  an\ 
viee,  leaving  you   the   carriage   horses  only,  and   a  few  broken- 
down  haekne;. 

"This  must  have  heen  done  last  night  f" 

"  Partly  ;    hut  some  of  it  this  very  day,  and  while  Halfotir  wa* 
dawdling  and  drinking  at  Dorchester." 

"  Weie  you  then  here  last  night,  Itohi-rt  .'" 

\  v,  Kate,  and  with    an  eye   upon  you  as  well  as  your  inter- 

Y»ii  had  a  visiter  from   Dorchester,  Kate." 
"  Ws  ;    .Major  I'rortor.  he  eame  in  the  afternoon  — 
"Audi-  ,-d    for  coming  !       Your   charms  have    1-een  too 

inin-h  for  him.  It  is  already  oVer  1  ><>iclir>ter  that  he  has  heen 
superseded  in  his  command  for  neglect  of  dutv,  and  is  to  he 
'•.ourt-mar.tialed  for  the  allair  of  your  lather's  rescue." 

Ah!    1    am   truly   .sorry  for   him!      lie  was   an   amiahle   and 

gentleman,  though  an  enemy." 

"  What  !    would  you  make  me  jealous  /      Am   1  to  he  told  that 
lie  is  a  fine-looking  fellow  al.so  —  nay,  positively  handsome/" 
"  And  what  is  it  to  me  /" 

"No    woman,  Kate,  thinks   ill    of  n    man  for   loving    her  —  no 
hie  woman,  at    lea>t  ;    and  pity  is   so  near  akin  to  lo\  e,  that 
the  very  disgraces  that  threaten  this  <?rntlriiian  make  me  a  little 
«.iibioiis  ,-ihout  his  visits." 

"  He  will  pn.hahly  pa\    no  nn-. . 

"  Wh.it  !    do  you  mean  to  say.  Kate,  that   voti  have  given  him 

i  to  despaii  I" 

Uoheit.  not    iOM — with    a  hlush  which   remai 1  unseen 

— "hut    thtf  dilgraee  Oi    hi->    remOTCI    him    from   Don-heMer.  and 

I  — " 

"  Whithrr  you  go  also  {" 
•'  N  >t  if   I  can  help  it." 
"  Why,  what  do  vou  proj»o>e  to  do  |" 
"To  tly  with  you  to  the  Saute.-,  if   I   can  not  remain  here." 


66  KATHARINE   WALTON. 

*•  Impossible.,  Kate!  Who  is  to  receive  you  on  the  Santet.  ? 
Was  it  not  thence  that  my  poor  sister  hurried  to  find  refuse 
with  you  in  the  last  moments  of  her  precious  hfe  ?  Our  planta 
tion  was  harried,  and  our  dwellings  burnt  by  the  lories,  beforu 
I  sent  her  hither.  Besides,  how  would  you  escape  hence  —  how 
travel,  if  you  did  succeed  in  making  your  escape  —  and  in  what 
security  would  you  live  in  a  region  over  which  the  ploughshare 
of  war  will  probably  pass  and  repass  for  many  weary  niontl 

And  do  you  counsel  me  to  30  to  the  city  —  to  place  myself 
in  the  custody  of  these  mercenaries?" 

"  You  are  in  their  custody  now.  You  can  do  no  better.  The 
city  is,  at  all  events,  secure  from  assault.  Were  the  French  to 
help  us  with  an  etncient  lleet,  and  could  our  army  be  rallied 
under  an  efficient  general,  we  might  do  something  against  it  ; 
but  of  this  there  is  little  present  prospect.  The  same  degree  of 
security  could  attend  you  nowhere,  else  in  the  South  at  present. 
Our  war  must  be  a  Fabian  war — irregular,  predatory,  and  ec 
centric  in  regard  to  the.  region  in  which  it  will  prevail.  No 
Kate,  however  much  I  would  rejoice  to  bear  you  away  with  me, 
even  as  the  knight  of  olden  time,  carried  oil'  his  mistress  from  the 
very  castle  of  her  tyrant  sire,  1  love  you  too  much  to  make  such 
an  attempt  now,  when  I  know  not  whither  I  could  bear  you  to 
place  you  in  even  partial  security." 

"The  mountains  of  North  Carolina?" 

"  lint  how  get  there?  We  cannot  hope  that  you  should  travel 
as  we  are  constrained  to  do  ;  for  days  without  food  ;  riding 
sometimes  day  and  night  to  (dude  the  enemy,  or  to  find  friends: 
with  neither  rest,  nor  food,  nor  certainty  of  any  kind,  and  with 
the  constant  prospect  of  doing  battle  with  an  enemv  as  reckless 
and  more  Ruthless  than  the  savage.  You  must  submit,  Kate, 
with  the  best  po.ssible  grace,  to  the  necessity  which  we,  can  not 
coiMjuer." 

A  deep  sigh  answered  him. 

"You  sigh,  Kate;  but  what  the  need/  Apart  from  the  se 
curity  which  the  city  aiVords,  and  which  was  always  doubtful 
here,  you  will  find  yourself  in  the  enjoyment  of  society,  of  lux 
uries,  gay  scenes,  and  glorious  spectacles;  the  ball,  the  rout,  the 
revel,  the  parade  —  " 


I.OVK   PA881  h7 

SingiPtnn  !"   was   the    reproachful    exc  Um.T-mit.      It 
a   moody    moment    with    our   hero,  such    as   will    sometime* 
il«>t'onn  tho  surface  of  the  nohle>t  charact<  •  will 

deface  the  gentle  hpauties  of  the  im>>t  transparent  water. 

"  You  will  achieve  new  conquests,  Kate.  Your  old  suitor. 
I'l-oetor,  will  he  again  at  your  i  \sill  It-  honored  with 

tin-  special  attentions  of  that  inimitahle  jn-tit  //m/V/r,  the  gallant 
Harry  Harry;*  'Mad  Camphell  '  and  '  Fool  (  \unphell,  '+  who,  in 

of  their  nicknames,  are  such  favorites  with  the  lory  la 
will  attach    themselves   to   your   train  ;    and    vou  will    almost  for- 
:n   the   hrilliancy  of  your  court,  the    simple   forester,  Vh-^e 
suit   will    then,   perhaps,   appear    amio>t    pn-Mimptuous    in    your 

••" 

"  1  have  not  deserved  this.  Uohert  Singleton." 

'.  have  n«-f.  deare>t  Kate;  and  I  am  hut  a  per\cr>e  devil 
thus  to  disquiet  you  with  suspicions  that  have  really  no  place 
within  my  own  IMIMHII.  Forgive  sonn-thin^  to  a  peevi-l-m^s  that 
springs  from  anxietv,  and  represents  toil,  vexation,  disappoint* 
iiieiif.  and  unremitting  lahors,  rather  than  '.he  thought  that 
alw  11.  and  the  heart  that  i.s  in-ver  so  hle->ed  as 

when   it  i    all    its    love.      It    is   M-Mom   that    I    d<»   yu 

iujust'u-e  ;    never,  dearot    rousin,  helieve    me     when    I    thinl-. 
you   <i!»nt,   and    sej>arate    from    all   other    human    considerations. 
It    is  then,  indeed,  that   I  l«>ve  to  think  of  y.-u  ;    and    in  thinking 
"f   \  ou    thus,  Kate,  it    i  i'-r^ret    that  the  world    has 

other  In-ill^.--  of  worth  or  int« 

"  No  more,  U-di-.-rt  —  no  moro." 

1'ut,  as  she  murmured  these  words,  her  head  rested  happily 
upon  his  hosom.  With  all  av««uu'i  her  apjircdiension  and  tP-.ihU-, 
and  all  I  <  douht,  it  ii"t  the  nionient  w 

rnmiixi'd    happiness.      Huf  iddenly  fn-m    'ni>   fond 

••mlirace,  and.  in  <juick  m  ••-uniiMi  — 

"  I  know  not  why  it  is.  R»i'ert.  hut  my  s«»ul  lias  heeu  shrink 
ing.  as  if  within  it>elf,  umier  thv  in«-.-t  "\<\ 

of  evil.     ]  i  off 

the   feelin-,  that    MMBetUtkg    rniMisug    a-i.l    dr»>adful    is   nhn:.1 


*  A  smull  wit  in  tin-  Kriti-i 

»  Niikiiun.-«  <.t  u,.,i-KiM)wn   itin«h  ui!;.-.-r«  in  Charl«*«to 


K>THARIXK    WALTON. 

happen  to  me;  ami,  since  the  decree  of  this  cominanuar.t  of 
Charleston.  1  associate  all  my  fears  with  my  visit  to  that  city. 
Th.s  it  is  that  makes  me  anxious  t«  escape— tfl  ry  njjyw!:ere 
for  refuse  —  even  t->  the  swamps  of  the  Cyp.  n  to  the 

mountains  of  North  Carolina,  making  the  journey,  if  you  please, 
ou  horseback,  and  incurring  all   risks,  all  privations,  rather  than 
_:  to  what   serins  my  fate  in  Charleston.      Tell   im»    Robert, 
is  it  not  possible  f" 

"Do  not  think  of  it,  Kate.  It  is  nut  possible.  1  see  the 
troubles,  the  dangers,  the  impossibilities  of  such  an  enterprise, 
as  th(«-  can  not  occur  to  you.  Dismiss  these  tears.  This  pre 
sentiment  is  the  natural  consequence  of  what  you  have  nndcr- 
,  tin-  reaction  from  that  intense  and  terrible  excitement 
which  you  suffered  in  the  ail  air  at  Dorchester.  It  will  pass 
away  in  a  few  days,  and  you  will  again  become  the  calm,  the 
firm,  the  almost  stoical  spirit  —  certainly  in  endurance  —  which 
you  '.ave  shown  yourself  already.  In  Charleston,  your  worst 
annoyance'  will  lie  from  the  courtesies  and  gallantries  of  those 
you  will  despise.  YOU  will  he  dependent  upon  them  for  civili- 
and  will  need  to  exercise  all  your  forbearance.  Balfour 
will  Ire  the  master  of  vour  fortunes;  but  he  will  not  presume  to 
offend  vou.  You  will  need  to  conciliate  him,  where  you  can  — 
where  it  calls  tor  no  ungeiiial  concessions.  We  have  many 
friendh  in  that  city;  and  my  venerable  aunt,  who  is  your  kins 
woman  also,  will  support  you  by  her  steady  sympathies  and 
courageous  patriotism.  You  will  help  to  cheer  some  of  our 
comrades  who  are  in  captivity.  YOU  will  find  full  employment 
for  i,»u,  sympathies,  and,  in  their  exercise,  gain  solace.  Tear 
nothing  —  be  hopeful  —  our  dark  days  will  soon  pass  over." 

"lie    t  so.      And  \et.  Robert " 

\  !       ll.tr  you  not  a  movement  below?" 

1  I  he  Hriti>h  otlicers  retiring,  perhaps.  They  sleep  iu  chain- 
beis  below,  and  will  not  come  up  stairs  at  all.  Bacchus  has  hie 
instructions" 

"  You  were  saying " 

•    1     ••  .     M  of  my  father,  Robert " 

"llu-h!  My  life!  these  feet  are  upon  the  stairs !  What 
can  it  mean  t" 


L01 


there   is   m>  retreat    to   my  rhamher  !      Tin-  Jiirhl 
mis!      Surely,  surely,  Kacchus    c;tn  nut  have  mi>!akeM 
t  ).   Ivohert,  what    is   t.»    he    done  I      You    can    not    cross    to 
ehamher    without    beinj;    heard.    nor    I    to    mine    without    1  • 
seen  !" 

•'  lit'  calm.  Kate.  Let  us  retire  as  clo.M-ly  a>  pi.>xi!,l»«  int..  tliis 
neon.  Have  no  lears.  At  tlie  \\(.r>t.  >••<-.  1  am  armed  with  a 
deadly  weapon  that  mak^s  no  in.! 

He  ^ia>ped  tlie  hilt  of  a  da^er.  which  lie  carried  in  his 
liMvuin  :  and  they  retired  into  a  dark  rec<-».  m-  ra'lier  a  )iiin«-r 
•  ue.  leading  hetw»-en  two  small  apartments  into  the  lialomv 
in  tne  rear.  Meanwhili1  tin1  heavy  >teps  of  men  —  certainly 
tlu-se  i»i'  Halfour  and  Cruden  —  were  heard  distinetly  upon  the 
Htairs  :  wliile  the  voice  of  liacchns.  in  tones  somewhat  • 
was  heard  ^uidin^  them  as  he  went  forward  with  the  li-rlit. 

ps    rathe.'   steep,  gentlemen  :    have   to   he    careful.      '1  h  '- 
-ir." 

"  Why  do  you  sneak  s.>  loud.  Hect-T  ?      Do  y<.u  \\  i>h  to  , 
up  the  hoiiM>  /      U  ould  you  iliMuili  the  yoiin^  lady  —  the  «j 
ot'   Di.n-lie.ster  —  my  —  my  -  1  ",den.  come   ahm^.  old 

fellow,  and  take  ca;  .    «\  yot 

Katharine  tremr.ied  like  a  leaf.      Rohert  Singleton  —  f,  . 
bil  true,  name  —  put    her   hehind   liini   in   the  j 

le,  and    placed   himself  in    readiness  I'm-  any  i-     •        A' 
the  wnr>t.  there  were  hut    two   ,.f  {In-    riseiny  within  the  li< 
an«l  our  hero  telt  himself  —  urcujiyi!1.  'ind, 

as  he  did  —  more  than  a  match  for  hoth.      Let  us   leaye  flu- 
ties    thus,  \\hih-    v   •    retrace    OQ]  -ii!«l    return    to    the    tuo 

whom    we    left    faiily    emi'arke.i    on    tlieir    car^us-ils.       ('apt-.'u 
Picks.  ui,  it  should  not   i,,-  fm-jrotiiMi.  I.  ark  f«>   : 

trr  aa  goon  as  he  had  fini>!.e,i  in-,  supper. 


KATHARINE   WALTON. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

CHOICK    SIM  HITS 

'I  <  UR,  even  now  in  the  midst  of  a  wonderful  temperance 
reform,  with  Father  Mathew  in  the  land  to  second  the  <rreat 
mural  projrre.ss.  and  to  make  its  claims  at  once  impressive  and 
religious,  for  the  contemplation  <>f  succeeding  time  as  for  the 
hem-lit  of  our  own,  it  will  he  ditlicult  to  conceive  the  6XC€ 
which  prevailed  in  the  use  of  ardent  and  vinous  beverages  in 
the  days  of  which  we  write.  Thev  had  harder  beads*  probably, 
in  those  days  than  in  ours:  they  could  drink  with  im»re  au 
dacity,  and  under  fewer  penalties,  physical  and  moral,  in  th<-ii 
deii.-uiches.  Certainly,  they  were  then  far  less  obnoxious  to  the. 
censure  of  society  for  the.  licentious  orgies  in  which  it  was  the 
delight  of  all  parties  to  indulge;  ami,  indeed,  societv  seldom 
interfered,  unless,  perhaps,  to  encourage  the  shocking  prac: 
and  to  goad  the  youn^  beginner  to  those  hrutal  excesses  from 
which  the  natural  tastes  mi^ht  have  revolted,  "lie  was  a  milk- 

"  in    proveihial    lan^iiaire,  "  who   c(,uld    not    carry    his    bottle 

under  his  helt."      "Milk  for   hahes,  hut    meat  for  men,"  the  lan- 

the  apostle,  was  the  ironical  and  scornful  phrase  which 

ihe  veteran  toper  employed  when  encountering  a  more  ahstemi- 

•  -ompanion  than  himself.  1'recrpt  and  example  thus  ;-om- 
hined,  it  was  scarcely  j-«:--il>le  f.,r  the  youth  to  withstand  the 
pernicious  training;  and  the  terrible  results  have  ensued  to  our 
period,  and  still  measurably  hold  their  ground,  in  practices 
which  it  will  need  the  continued  labors  of  a  generation  of  re 
formern  whollv  to  obliterate.  T<>  drink  deep,  as  they  did  in 
Flanders,  was  (juite  a  maxim  with  the  soldiers  of  the  Revolution 
on  both  sides;  and  too  nianv  of  the  American  generals,  taught 


CHOH  i:  3PIB  «;i 

in  the  same  school    \\nvmiu-h   more  able   to  encounter  their  r.riti-h 

adve-  bottle   than    in   the   trial   ami    tin-  >torm  of   \\ar. 

h     ilrinkiii::    \\a<    al\\a\>    ifl    faniou>    as    Dutcli    or     Kn^lish. 

Indeed,  it  is,  and  ha-  ever  lieeii,  quite  absurd  to  speak   of   tlie   indul- 

the  Irish  as  distinguishing  them  above,  their  sister  nati 
in  a  comparison  of  tlie  ivlatr.  •.  hieli   marked  their 

:;d  habits.      The  Seoteh  have  al\\  ay--  drank    ni'>r<  than   the   Iri-h; 
but  they  drank  J<ii''n'tu<i!ly,  and  were  thu-   lea    liaMe   t"    bt-:ray  their 

lialfour  was  a  fair  sample   of   his  countrymen    in   this   practice. 
!!'•    had    one    of     those     indomitable    heads    which     pi  'iieir 

balance    in     spite     of     their    potations.       A     ni-ht    of     intoxication 
would    M  an-ely    >how    any    of    its   etVccts    in    the  morning,  and 
tainly    never    operated    t"  cndiarra^    him    in    the    executii  • 
daily    bu>ines>.       II  ••    usually    would    seldom 

you    in    Mispcrtinir    him  •  \tn-me    t:  '.inc. 

Il«    \\oiild    I"-  called   in   the   indulgent    ]>lir;i  ',!   of   that  day 

:r  own,  a  ireneroiis  or  free  liver  -—  one  \\  ho  relished   hi-  M 
and    ni-v.  >m-li 

men   usually  pay  the   penalty  in   the  end;  but  \\e   need  not    }<» 
far  farward  in  the   present    instance.      Mnou^li    f»r  us  that,  with   the 
departure    of    the    ladies    and    tin  '.     loyaliM.    and     Captain 

DiekM-n.    the    worthy    commandant     of    Charloton    deti  rmined    to 
make    a    ni.u'lit   of    it.       In    this    |(r    \\a>     i  :    by 

his    companion.      Cruden,  ho\\e\er,  had   a    COOleT    head    and    a  ? 
.-•rate  habit.      IJc-ide-.  In-    had  i"ii,    \\liieli    BUfl 

to    keej»    him  Watchfttl    of    his    appetite.,  and    t"  the 

moment   of  eZOBSS.      Still    he  drank.      What    ollicer  of   the   army   in 
tho-e  days  did  not  drink,  \vlm  had  served  three  i-amp:»ii:iis  in   Aim-ri 

tfter  having  had  the  "training  of  one  01  more  IIJM.II   the  continent 

of    Mil! 

"  Tlie  u  in,-  improve-,  Crudeii." -aid    Hal  four  -eiiry. 

how  much  of  this  wine  ha\e  \  on  in  the  c<  liar?  " 

"  We  don't  keep  \\iue    in    tlie    cellar,  n  plied    the 

htis.   \\ho  showed    him- If   at    tli-  wlieii    summ- 

"  \\e  keep  it  in  the  -arret." 

••  Well,  \\ell.  n. i  matter  where.      I!  ; .-h  of   this  wine 

in  tin 


KATII  AKINi:    \\   \l 

"  A  smart  chance  of  it,  I  reckon,  sir." 

"  What  an  answer!  Hut  this  is  always  the  case  with  a  iieirro.  A. 
smart  chance  of  it  — M  if  one  could  understand  anything  from  such 
an  answer,  Ha  a  thousand  bottles?  " 

"  1  )on't  think,  dr." 
Five  hiindi 

•'  Can't  say,  -rein-nil." 

"  Five,  thi 

»h,  more  than  five     more  than  fifty,  sir." 

"  Knouirh  for  to-niirht.  then,  at  all  events.  (Jo  and  bring  us  a 
few  more  bottles.  This  begins  to  thicken.  I  say.  Crudeii.  I 
can  revpeet  even  a  n  bel  \\  ho  k  <i  liquors.  Such  a 

must  al\\a\-  pOBMM  one  or  more  of  the  essentials  of  a 
umn.  lie  may  not  l.c  perfectly  well  bred,  it  is  true,  for  that 
la  as  much  on  -ood  society  as  upon  Lfood  wine-;  but  he 
IlllOWfl  Hint,  under  other  circumstances.  something  mi-ht  have 
been  made  of  him.  Hut  why  do  you  not  drink ''.  You  neither  drink 
nor  talk.  Finish  that  ^la^-s  no\\ .  and  tell  me  if  you  do  not  arrive 
with  me  that  the  man  deserves  ic-pe<  t  whov(.  \\im-v.  ;u-.-  unim 
peachable." 

n  readily  acknowledge  ihe  virtues  \\hich  I  inherit." 

[|  phruxr  to  be  remembered    so    lon_«r  as 

tin -work  «•!  M  cjiieviration  L'oes  on  with  such  happ\  n-viills.  Hut 
•  •fMiil  fortune  does  not  seem  to  aLiree  with  you.  You  are  moody, 
Cruden." 

"  It  i-  the  ell'eel  of  the  Madeira.      Wine  alwa\s  makes    me    - 
like  il,  peil  11  a-  aii\  body  ;    but  it  M.IIIX   me  for  a  KMOO.       I 

beeoni,      I  liar-h,   Illl^eilial 

••\\liatanet1e.t1  II  i>  ni.,n>lroii««.  lti-onl\  be< -aii-e  \  on  -top 
short  \\  here  \  oil  should  be^in.  '  I  >\\\\k  deep  '  \\  a->  the  counsel  of  the; 
lillle  poet  ,.['  Twickenham.  Tha'1.-  tin-  oiily-e.nl  ho  yOU  read 

idea '.     I'1  mid 

indeed,  it  app- 

"  It   eon;.  with    my 

li(iuor.      I    ne\ei-    tliink   of    it    at   :  ny    (»ther  periods.      I    would    keep 

If.  if  I  could  find  a   proper  one.      I'.M.r    Andre    did    BOOM 

ihymini:  for  me  once,  but    il    went    like   a    broken  winded    hacknev. 

Harry    I,  I  '      of     knack    at    veFM    inakin-_r.    but    it   is 


i:    SPIUITS. 


monstrous   insijiid,  and   only    fit    for   his   friend    .M'M;ili«u.       '  M  e 
and   my  friend  M'Mallon  I'      'Me    and    my    hiend    Ban\  !' 
you    nut    sick    of    tin-    eternal    speech    of    these    t  u  ,ucd 

loobies,  when  they  prattle  of  each  other  T' 

"  I  never  listen  to  them." 

"You  are  ri^lit  ;  but  as  I  talk  a  -reat  <leal  myself  over  my 
wine,  I  can't  do  less  than  listen  to  the  hrutes  when  1  am  sober." 

"  1  My,  Hal  four,  have  yon   -ivc.i  any  orders   al-oiit   tl\0 
of  this  place  to-niorro\v  ?      \\\-  -hmild  tnke  it  early." 

"Oli.  yon  are  too  impatient.      Your  avarice  ^ets  the  hetter  of 
you.      Sufficient  for  the  day  is  the  plunder  thereof.      No  can 
ni^ht.      Ha!    Jupiter,  you  are  there." 

This  was  said  to  Jlaediuy,  as  lie  arranged  half  a  doxen  dn-ty 
liottle.s  upon  the  .sidtdioard. 

"  I  )raw  our  of  those  corks  ;  put  tin-  hottle  here  ;  remove  these 
skins,  and  prepare  to  anvAer." 

He   was  oheyed. 

A    .stand    there,  that  we   may  have   n  good  view  of  you. 
Your  name  is  1'rutus.  you  say  I" 

"  Hacchus,  master." 

"  Ricehns  !    Bacchus!      Strange   that    I    should  always  : 
Bacchllt,  you  have  a  very  heautiful  younj;  misti 

'I'lie  ne^ro  was  silent. 

"  1  »o  von  not  think  so.  fellow  /" 

•- 

"  >he  always  piod  to  me,  master." 

"And  that,  you  think,  means  the  same  tiling.  Well.  \ve'll 
not  dispute  the  matter.  Now,  Bacchus,  do  you  think  that  your 
youn^  inistre  I  copper  for  any  of  the  youn^  <  : 

Dorchester  /      Speak  up.  like  a  man  " 

44  1  don't  know,  general." 

"  \    'U  general    me,  you    ra-cal  !      But   you   sha'n't    • 
me       I    tell    you,   you    do    know.      A  ;  rah  —  didn't   ' 

come  here  constantly  after  \\   i-n't  that 

handsome  fellow,   Proctor.  ;dwa\ 

"  Balfour,  Halfour,"  interposed  Cruden,  "do  i. 
you,  that  1'r  »ctor  is  my  kinsman." 

"  Pshaw  !  Why  \\  ill  you  he  throwin-  your  nephew  constantly 
in  my  teeth  {  Isn't  ours  a  comm-n  . 


64  KATHAU1M-;    WALTON. 

fall  together?  And  if  your  kinsman  is  in  our  way,  sha'n'i  we 
thrust  him  out  of  it]  What's  he  to  either  of  us  when  the  ac 
counts  are  to  he,  made  up  I" 

"  My  sister's  child,  Balfour." 

"Pish,  were  he  your  own  now!  Don't  interrupt  the  negro. 
I  say,  Neptune,  wouldn't  you  like  to  see  your  young  inistre.M 
well' married  ?" 

"If  she  have  no  objection,  master." 

"A  judicious  answer  !  Well,  she  can  have  no  objection,  surely, 
to  being  married  to  a  governor.  Kh  f" 

"  I  reckon,  master." 

14  She  shall  have  a  governor  for  her  husband,  Jupiter;  she 
nbal! —  and  you  shall  be  his  body  servant.  I  mean  to  be  gover- 
here,  Pluto,  as  soon  as  we've  <lriven  all  these  rebels  out; 
and  sbe  shall  be  my  wife.  Do  you  hear,  fellow?" 

••  Yes,  sir." 

"  You're  a  sensible,  fellow,  Bacchus,  and  know  that  a  gover 
nor's  something  more  than  a  major  of  foot,  or  dragoons  either, 
lie  makes  majors  of  foot  and  dragoons  —  ay  and  unmakes  them 
too,  when  they're  troublesome.  I  say,  Cruden,  this  alVair  looks 
squally  fi»v  Proctor;  it  does:  and  yet  I'm  sorry  for  the  fellow, 
I  am.  I  like  him  as  much  on  his  account  as  your  own.  Come, 
we'll  drink  his  health.  You  won't  refuse  that  f ' 

(  'ruden  filled  his  glass  moodily  and  drank.   Balfour  proceeded  — 

"  You  think,  Cruden,  that  I  am  talking  with  too  much  ie.vity  / 

Don't  deny  it.     I  see  it  in  your  face.     You   look  as  surly  as  Sir 

William,  with  the  last  touches   from    the   tail    of   the   gout — just 

:min£  to  be    miserable.       But,  you  shall  see.    1  will  conduct 

the  rest    of  the  good  fellow's  examination  with  due  sobriety." 

"  if  you  have  any  more  questions  to  ask,  let  him  answer  about 
the  ])!. 

"Ay,  to  be  Mire;  1  meant  to  come  to  that.  I  .see  what  trouh- 
le>  vou.  Ho,  I'luto,  your  master  fl  ntleman  ;  I  know, 

from  your  manner:;.      1   can  always  tell    a  gentleman    by  his 
vantK.     They  reflect  his  manners;   they  imitate  them.      That  is 
to  Bay,  your  master  ira\   a  gentleman    before  lie  became  a  rebel 
Y«»u  are  no  longer  bis  servant,  and  you  continue  a  gentleman  still 
Your  master  was  rich,  eh?" 


CHOICK    M'lUMS.  00 

"  I  expect,  sir." 

"  He    liatl   lands   and    maroon,    and.   I    feel    certain,  kept 
wines.      Now,  IMutus.  a-mon^   tin-   (jnaliti.  -nth-man  \s  IM 

i*  rich,  he  must  be  in  possession  of  a  lain.'  ;   he 

must    have    urns    of  silver,    punch-howls,    p!.i:« 
cream-pots,  milk-pots,    and    a    thmisand    things   necessary  to   the 
talile  and  the  sideboard,  made   out  of  the  bright  metal,  eh  i" 

"  Yes,  sir  ;    I  expect  so." 

"  And,  Juno,  your  master  had  them  all,  hadn't  he  /" 

"  ( )  y»s,  sir." 

"  Where  are  they,  Hat-elms  I"   put  in  Cruden. 

"  I  don't  know,  master." 

"  What  I      Well  !      Ho  on,  Colonel  Cruden,  <:o  on;   if  \ 
not   satisfied  with   my — ah!  —  with   my  mode   of — of — making 
this  little  domestic  inquisition,  why,  you  are  at  perfect  libei* 
—  to  do  it  better,  if  you  can." 

Cmilen  sullenly  npolu«ri/ed,  as  he  perceived  that  there  was  no 
propriety  in  <loing  otherwise. 

"Go  on,  Halfour;    1  didn't  mean  to  take  the  ^ame  out  of  your 
hands.      No  one  could  do  it  better." 

"  I    Hatter   myself  you're    ri^lit,  Colonel  Criiden.      I  Jo  think 
that  I  can  —  ah  —  examine  this  gentleman  of  a  nej^ro  as  —  M  — 

•  •s.-lully    art    any    Downed    inquisitor    of — of — \Vr>tinii. 
Hut   you've    put   me   out.      J  must  have  s«nne:liin^  .-tn.np-r  than 
Madeira    to    restore    my  memory.        1    say.  Hrutus  —  Hacch;. 
have  you  the  water  heated  I" 

"  Vc>,  >ir  —  general." 

"  And  did  your  master — that  was  —  did  lie  have  t! 
fellow,  to  keep  in  his  cellar  any  pioil  old  Scotch  whiskey  i" 

"  1  don't  think,  master;    but   the:  DC  particular  t, 

Jamaica." 

"There  is  i      It  will  do.     Jamaica   is  only  an   apoh-^y  : 
Scotch  whiskey  ;   but  it  is  such  an  apology,  Cnulen — 1  say.  ' 
den.it  is  such  an  apology  as  any  ^entlnnan  n 
some  of  it." 

The  bottle  was  already  on  the  sideboard  which  contained  the 
tlu-n  favorite  liquor  of  the  South —  Madeira    '  i  al 

ways —  and  Bacchus  was  SO,,M  en-a-ed    n  jda.  ,  tlJ« 


»•»)  KATHAKINi:    \V\|.TO\. 

snirars.  :iinl  tin-  hoilini;  water  under  the  hands  of  Balfour,  whc 
blasted  upon  uniting  the  advOFSQ  elements  himself. 

"How  gloriously  it  fumes!  There,  (Yuden  ;  drink  of  that, 
old  fellow,  and  hless  the  hand  that  made  it.  Bacchus,  you  shall 
have  a  draught  yourself — you  shall,  you  handsome  old  rascal  — 
the  hetter  to  he  ahle —  you  hear  —  to  answer  my  (piest'ions 
There  is  much  of  this  .Jamaica  .'" 

"  Smart  chance,  general." 

••  Drink,  fellow,  and  forget  vour  old  master  in  your  new. 

The  negro  showed  some  leluctance  ;  and  the  commandant  ot 
Charleston,  rising  from  his  chair,  sei/.ed  the  fellow  hy  his  wool 
with  one  hand,  while  he  forced  the  huge  gohlet,  with  its  smo 
king  potation,  into  his  mouth.  IVw  negroes  reject  such  a  hever- 

•  u-  any  heverage  containing  spirits;   and  Bacchus,  though  a 
tolerahly  temperate  fellow,  swallowed  the,  draught  without  much 
reluctance  or  sulVering. 

••  .VIM!  now  for  this  plate,  Cicsar  ?" 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  You  sav  there  was  plate?" 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  Where  was  it  kept  ?" 

"  In  little  room  up  stairs,  sir." 

"  Have  you  the  key  to  that  room?" 

"  It's  on  the  hunch,  master." 

"  Show  it  me." 

The  n-'gro  pointed  it  out.  Bal four  grasped  it  firmly,  and  shook 
it  free  from  the  n 

"And  now,  fellow,  where's  the  key  to  your  wine  vaults— 
your  cellar  ?" 

"(iarret,  P.acchus  ?"   interposed  (Tuden. 

"  I  thank  you.  Colonel  Cruden.  But  had  you  —  I  say,  Cru- 
den,  in  a  moment  more  I  sh  >uld  have  used  the  word  myself. 
tlt  fellow  ?" 

"  I  left  it  ii.  the  door,  master,  last  time  I  went  up,  thinking 
niayl.e  you  niijrht  want  more  of  the  Madeira." 

"You    did?      You    sensihle    fellow!      Who    shall    say  that  a 

•  i   lacks  forethought  .'      Ah,  Bacchus  !  you  are  t ho  man  for 
me.     Come,  Cruden,  let  us  go." 


CHOICE  67 

"  Whither  '      What  do  you  mean  f 

.plore  the  wine-vaults — to  look  into  the  cellar —  to 
after  the  plate!      Now  <>r  ne\er.      I    must    B€6  tin-  extent  of  our 

I   sleep  to-ni^ht." 
The    curiositv    of   Oniden —  his    cupidity,   rather — prevailed 

(jvwr  hifl  sense  «>('  pp.pru  ty.     He  was  quil 

ploration  of  the    plate-room  as  was   Halfour   for  the  wine-cellar. 

and  tlie  two  started,  without    further  delay,  under   the    . 

of  I'.acclms,  l'earinur  the  candle.      It  was  «»nly  \\ln-u  they  . 

from  the  dininir-i  ""Hi    into    the    prat    j>a- 

that  our  lo\crs  al>o\r  \\-rre  lirst  Kpprizod  o|  the  danger  in  \\hieh 

they  sto.i-l  of  diseo\ ci-y.      The   VM'HT  "f   Iiaeehus  lir>t  told  them 

of  the  jirnhalile  intiu>ion  of  tlie  liriti.-li  of: '.rers  into  a  portion  of 

the  dwelling  not  a— i-ned  to  them,  and  in  \\hieh  their   ; 

at  that  hour  of  the  ni^ht,  was  totally  unexpected. 

The    alarm    of    Katharine    Walton    may    he    ima-ined.       Her 
b,  with  regard  to  th,  f  lu-r  eniMj.ani.iii.  were  naturally 

mixed  up  with  the  appi  ehei:-i\  e  BOI1M  "f  female  delicacy.  \\  liirli 
inuM  sillier  from  any  detection  under  such  eireuiustaiiees.     Single 
ton  shared   in   this   apprehension,  with    regard  to  her,  inmv  than 
any  \.ith    regard    to   himscdf.      lit-    felt  few  fears  of   hi- 
safety,  for  he  W*l  COnflcioUl  that  he  :  .  in  the  la    I 

a    means   for  escape,   in    the    conviction    that    he    could.  Inn 
easily   deal    with    the    two    enemies,   encountering    him.   as    they 
WOllld,  unexpectedly.      To    feel    that    his    pistnl>    were    rea 
his  -rasp  in    his    l-elt.  that  the  da<rirer  was   in    his  -ripe  and 
for  use,  \va>  in    reassure    himself,  and    to   enahle    him.  with  . 

nenreti  to  «juiet  th-»M-.  of  his  fair  oompanioB. 

Meanwhile,  tlie  two  I'ritons.  hoth  somewhat  unsteady,  though 
not   e<jually  •  taire.      The  W 

Hacchus    to    ^ive    due    warning    to    th-->e    ahove.    prOlD] 
more  fre.juently  than    seemed    i  tO  lialfoiir.  t-.    in-ist.  in 

loiul  tones,  upon  the  nevc-ity  of  th.-  I   caution  i 

inur  a  Slight    of   .steps  \shii-h.  he    repe.,'  nmre   than    orii 

narily  steej>. 

"  BoU    on  to  the    bankt  rtl,"    he    cried,  on 

commandant    mak-  piuj:   lurch  t    the  wall 

steps  are  mighty  hijrh  and  -' 


68  K  A  THAI:  INK  WALTON. 

"Shut  up,  fellow,  and  ^o  ahead  !  Throw  your  li^ht  more  behind 
you,  that  we  may  see  the  steepness.  There,  tliat  will  do.  This 
is  a  lar^e  house,  ( 'rmlen,  eh  /  The  proprietoi  contemplated  a  nu 
merous  progeny  when  he  built.  Solid,  too  ;  feel  these  banister.s." 

"All  mahogany,"  was  the  answer. 

"And  carved.  Old  .style,  and  magnificent.  These  provin 
cials  were  ainhitious  of  showing  well,  eh  /  An  old  house,  ch  ? 
I  say,  Pluto,  is  this  house  haunted  /" 

"  1  launted,  mast. 

"  Yes,  fellow.  Don't  you  understand  f  Have  you  any  ghosts 
about  f" 

"  Wliy.  yes,  sii       The,  old  lady  walks,  they  say." 

"What  old  lady  .?" 

"The  lady  of  the  old  laml^raxe." 

"  Landgrave  if"  exclaimed  t.'rnden,  inquiringly. 

"  Yes."  answered  Halfour.  "  You  know  that  they  had  tlieii 
noliles  in  this  j»ro\-ince  :  there,  were  tlu-  Iaildgra\  inoes,  which 
is  (Jcinian  for  lord  or  haron,  ami  their  eas.sicm-s.  which  is  In 
dian  for  another  sort  of  nobility  ;  and  their  palatinos,  which  is 
A  step  higher  than  both,  I'm  thinking  —  a  juvtty  little  estah- 
li.slnnent  for  a  court  in  the  woods:  It  was  a  nice,  sort  of  fancy 
of  Lord  Shaftesl.iiry,  after  whom  they  christened  this  river  and 
its  sister — Ashley  ami  Cooper  —  and  if  the  old  f.ix  hadn't  had 
his  hands  lull  of  other  conceits,  we.  mi^ht  have  had  him  here 
M-ttin^  up  as  a  sort  of  Prince.  Marklr\  elly ,  the  Italian,  on  his 
own  account." 

All  this  was  spoken  as  1'nlfour  hun^  upon  the  banister,  mid- 
\vav  up  the  steps,  .steadying  himself  for  a  renewed  effort,  and 
balancing  to  and  fro,  with  hi.s  eves  Stretched  upward  to  the 
dim  heights  of  the  lofty  ceiling. 

"  Yev,"  said  be,  continuing  the,  subject,  "an  old  house,  and  ,. 
prat  one  —  not  ill-planned  fur  a  palace;  the  family  an  old  one 
and  of  the  nobility." 

"An  Indian  nobility,"  said  ( 'ruden.  somewhat  contemptuously, 

"Well,  and    \\hy    not.'      Nobility  is   nobility,  whether   sa  \aire 

\on;    and    I'll    marry   into    it  when    I    can.      Take    mv  ad- 

nd  do    the  same.       Is  it  not    arranged    between  us  that  we 

we   to   divide   the  fair    ladies   of  this    establishment  /      I    am  to 


i:  >ri,.  »;c» 

have   the    voting   "lie.   (Yuden,   old    fellow  —  hrinj:    iimir   united, 
kin»M,  Ly   icason    nf   my  youth    ami    good-fellowship,  to    litT 
teiu'h:  ,trly  ami    magnificent  aunt,  Mi-tie--   l'..ti- 

liara,  who  ha*  a  ri^rht  to  the  ijuai  terin^s  of  her  ^rcat  pan- 
ami  is  an  heiress  in  hero\\n  ri^ht,  they  teil  inr  —  she  is  tiir  . 
ffllnw  for  ynu,  CnuU-n.      Yen  will    makr  a  lanmus  ruijih-. 
will  jiiVKitli1    likf  a  jtrinccss  in  y«iur  I'inrkiu'y  i-liatrau  ;   and  tlie 
.1    ships,  as   tlu-y    riit»*r  tin-    liarltor.  will    !.»•   always   suiv   t<i 
you  a  salute.      V,-..  I  yit-M  !«•  y«ni  the  aunt  ;    I  «li».  C'nnU-n, 
old  fellow,  without    ^nul^in^;   and    I  will   content   myself   mod- 
e>tly  with  the  younur  creature." 

This  was   spoken  at    fits  and    starts,  the  tongue  of  our  worthy 
•oniinamlant,    hy    this   time,   haying    thickciicil    mimidrrahl'. 
.say  nothini:  of  frequent  spasmodic  impediments  of  >p«-ech,  known 
as  hiccoughs  t«»  the  vulgar. 

"  You  are  dispu.-ed  of  in  a  some\\  hat  summai-\-  maniuT,  1 . 
\\iiispeied  Sinjrlrtuii  to  liis  coinjianion,  Imth  of  whom  had  heard 
e\ei'y  .-ylh.Me  that  \\as  >\>-  ken. 

"The  hrutr!"  wa.s  tlie  muttered  reply. 

"What  would  Aunt  Harhara  sav  to  all  this  f" 

"  If  >l;e  1  e  awake, "said  1  vat  hai  ine,  "  .she  hears  it  all.  It  will 
greatly  pn.yoki-  her." 

"  I  can  fa.'icv  her  indignation  !       How  she  tosses  her  head  !" 

"  1 1-isli,  Robert  ;    they  advance." 

"If  we  fen  to  divide  all  our  spoils.  Halfmir,"  was  the  s](l\\ 
i'ejd>-  of  ('ruden,  "upon  the  principle  yu  lay  down,  my  .share 
\\ould  he  a  sorry  one." 

"What!  you  won't  take  the  antique  1     Ha!  ha!    Ynu 

ten'!'  '    you  I    hut    1  warn    you,  no   iquinting    toward 

my   l'.(dl;rtiiir.i.      She  is  min<- !      l.ook  <  Ue\\  hen-,  if  the  old  iady 
dou  t    suit    \  mi  ;    hut   look    not    to   the   y«mn^    One.       Divide    the 
-   e«|iial!\  Mire!       *  I'ickin^-'    \\  as   the  our 

hackuo-ds  caj)taiu  —  tlie  unsophisticated  heathen'     '  1'iekings!' 
'1'he  rascal  mij_'ht   as  well    have   called  it     '  Hut 

here  \\e  aie.  landed  at  last.      Hello.    !  -  are 

these?      I.il\  your  li-rht.  rascal.      Ha!    that's  a  prett  III— 

d«'yilish    like    our    virgin    (jue»-n.      \Vh"'-     that,    i'infu-         V-ur 
mist  re 


70  KATH. \Iil.\K    WALTON. 

"No,  sir;  that's  her  great  grandmother,  the  landgravine." 

"God  Uess  her  nobility!  It's  from  her  that  my  queen  of 
Sheba  inherits  her  beauty.  1  shall  have,  no  objection  to  marry 
into  a  family  where  beauty,  wealth,  and  title,  are  hereditary.  I 
hliall  love  her  will;  all  my  heart  and  all  my  strength  And  this, 
8cipiot" 

"  That's  master,  the  colonel,  sir — Colonel  Walton." 

"The  rebel  !  Fling  it  down  from  the  wall,  fellow  !  I  '11  have 
no  rebel  portraits  staring  me  in  the  face  —  me,  the  representa 
tive  here  of  his  most  sacred  majesty,  George  the  Third,  king 
of  England,  Scotland,  Ireland,  defender  of  the,  Faith,  and  father 
of  a  hopeful  family.  I  say,  down  with  the  rebel-rascal,  fellow; 
down  with  it  !  We'll  have  a  bonfire  of  all  the  tribe,  this  very 
night.  They  shall  none  escape  me.  1  have  burnt  every  ell'gy 
of  the  runagates  I  could  lay  hands  on  ;  and,  by  the  blessed 
saints!  1  will  serve  this  with  the  same  dressing.  Do  you  hear, 
Beel/ebub?  Down  with  it!" 

Katharine  \Yalton,  in  her  place  of  hiding,  her  soul  dilating 
with  indignation,  was  about  to  dart  forward  to  interpose,  totally 
forgetful  of  her  situation,  when  the  arm  of  Singleton  firmly 
wrapped  her  waist.  In  a  whisper,  he  said  — 

"  Do  not  move,  Kate,  dearest  ;  they  will  hardly  do  what  this 
drunken  wretch  requires.  But  even  should  they,  you  must  not 
peril  yourself  for  the  portrait,  however  precious  it  may  be  to 
your  sympathies.  Subdue  yourself,  dear  In-art.  We  must  sub 
mit  for  a  season." 

"  ( ),  were,  I  but  a  man  !"  said  the  high-souled  damsel,  almost 
audibly. 

"Hush,  Kate.!  Believe  me,  I  prefer  you  infinitely  as  you 
are." 

"  O»  how  can  you  jest,  Robert,  at  such  a  moment  ?" 

".lest  !      I  never  was  more  serious  in   my  life." 

"  Hut  your  tone?' 

"Says  nothing  for  my  heart,  Kate.  It  is  better  to  smile,  if 
we  can  ;  and  /'/<•///  with  words,  at  the  moment  when,  though  we 
feel  daggers,  we  dure  not  use  them." 

Meanwhile,  the  negro  made  no  movement  to  obey  the  orders 
of  Balfour.  He  simply  heard,  and  looked  in  stupid  wonderment 


<n!MTS  •  I 

"Do  you  not  he;ir  inc.  fellow  ?      MiM   I  tear  down  the  staring 
myself  ? 

He  advanced  as  lie  spoke,  and  his  bands  were  ;dready  up- 
lifted  to  the  picture,  when  (Vuden  interposed  — 

MLeaY«    it    for  tO-nigbt,  BAlfonr.      You  will   alarm   the   housr- 
hold.      Besides,  you  will    give    great    oflence  to  the   yung  1 
I  don't   love   rohels    any  more   than    you,  and  will   help   to 
themselves  as  well  as  their  oftljrics  to  the  lire;   hut  let  it  he  done 
»|uietly.  and  after  you've  sent    the   «:irl  t<»  t«.wn.      Von  wouldn't 
wish  to  hurt  her  feelm- 

"Hurt    her   feeling  .'      No  !    how   could    you    iinairiiu'    ^urli    « 
vain  tiling?      ( )f  course,  we  Ml    leave    the   rehel    for  another 
son.      Hut  he  shall  hum    in  the  end,  as  sure  a<  1  'm  Neshitt   Hal- 
tour." 

"  Kohert."  whispered  Katharine,  in  treinhlintr  accents,  "  that 
portrait  must  he  saved  from  these  wretches.  It  must  he.  savadL 
Rohert,  at  «-very  hazard." 

"  It  shall  he,  Kate,  if   I  survive  this  night." 

u  You  promise  me;  —  that  is  enough." 


72  KATHARINi:    WALTON. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

GHOSTLY     l'A»A«;i:s. 

THE  lovers  were  suddenly  hushed,  iu  their  \\  hispered  conver 
sation,  by  the  nearer  approach  <>f  the  British  officers.  Crudes 
had,  at  length,  pemuidod  his  companion  t<>  forget  th;»  rebel 
portraits  for  awhile,  and  t<>  address  liiinselt'  earnestly  to  the, 
more  important  object  of  tlieir  search.  l"nder  the  guidance  of 
the  reluctant  Bacchus,  they  drew  nigh  to  the,  plate  ehanther,  or 
the  closet,  in  which,  according  to  the  negro,  the  silver  of  the 
household  was  usually  kept.  This  apartment  was  placed  at  the 
extremity  of  the  passage,  closing  it  up  apparently  in  this  quar 
ter,  but  with  a  narrow  avenue  leading  beside  it,  and  out  upon  a 
balcony  in  the  rear  of  the  building.  It  was  in  this  narrow 
passage  that  Katharine  and  her  lover  had  taken  shelter.  The 
outlet  to  the  balcony  was  (dosed  by  a  small  door;  and  against 
this  they  leaned,  in  the  depth  of  shadow.  With  the  dim  candle 
light  which  guided  the  eneniv,  thev  Rltgfal  reasonahlv  hope,  in 
this  retreat,  to  escape  his  notice  —  unless,  indeed,  the  light  were 
brought  to  bear  distinctly  upon  their  place  of  hiding.  Here  they 
waited,  in  deep  sib-nee  and  suspense,  the  approach  of  the  British 
officers. 

Bacchus  might  have  saved  the  commandant  and  the  cmmnis- 
eary  the  trouble  of  their  present  search.  He  well  knew  that 
the  silver  of  the  household  had  all  disappeared.  It  is  true  that 
he  knew  not  positively  what  route  it  had  taken  ;  but  his  om- 
jecturefl  were  correct  upon  the  subject.  He  was  prudent  iy  silent, 
however  —  rather  preferring  to  seem  ignorant  of  a  matter  in 
which  a  too  great  knowledge  might  have,  ended  in  subjecting 
him  to  some  of  the  re-.|...i|sib'dity  of  the  abstraction.  They 


(IMOSTI.V    P4  71 

n>aclic<l  the  door,  and  Balfoui  fumbled  with  the  keys  to  the 
pica*  impatience  of  his  companion,  who  more  than  once  felt 
tempted  to  oiler  his  a  ;  l.ut  forbore,  from  suilicient  ex 

perience  of  the  tenacious  vanity  of  tin-  c..mmandant.     At  length 
In-    opening    uas    cnYcted,   ami    the    two   darted    in — Bacchus 
tin-,   entrance,    prepared    to   make   a   lia.-ty    retreat 
ti  •  :irs  of  his   superiors  rrMilt  in   any  threatening 

For  a  time  their  hopes  \\ere  encouraged.      The\ 
held    several    rows    of   broad    .shelves,    almost  with    old 

boxes,  some   of  which    were    I'.iMened    down.      It    retpiired    .- 
time  ;    hut,  at  leiiirth,  the  nnj.l.-asaiit  eonv'u-tion 

:<»ved   nj)on   them   that  they  had  waited  their  lahor  upon  a 

ly  account  of  empty  1  0 

"  Bacchus,"  said  Crtiden,  "is  there  no  other  closet  ?" 
"  Hacchns,  you  heast,  whe;-«-^  the  jilato.   I   sav  i" 
"  "I'ain't     here,    general."    huiuhly    responded    the    tremhling 

pegra, 

"  Well,  that's  information  fur  wliicli  w<>  are  grateful  ;    but,  you 
Moody  villain,  if  yon  don't    find  it  —  if  a  .spoon's  missing,  a  cup, 

akanl,  a    pot,  a  —  a  —  I'll    have    you    him;:    nj>    ly  the    • 
yon  villain,  with  your  head  dowi;\\ard.  like  Saint  Absalom  !     1  )o 
you  liear.   I'lutus  !     Do  you  know  \\hat  han^in-  means,  eh  /    Do 

you  know  how  it  feeds  I      \)<>  \-,,u  know " 

k  him.  Halfour,  if  there  are  not  other  clofi 

"Pohl    poh!    Cruden;    am    I    the  man,  at    this  tijne  <»f  day,  to 
be  taught  how  to  put  the  ijuestinn   to  a  M»n  of   I.shuiael  .'      What 
do  we  want  with  closets  (      What    liave   we    ^-..t    by  looking   into 
dOflettl       It's  the   p ]ate  we  want  ;    the  precious  metals,  the  c: 
.,t     l'..tosj  —  ihr    siKer,  the    ingots,  the  Spanish    ha: 
black.  Kthiopan,   Merl/ehub  ;    and    if  they're  not    forthcomin-  — 
a\  .  to-ni^ht.  this  very  hour  —  ym  shall  ha\ c  de-p.-itrlu^  t'..r  \  .mi 
namesake    and    Lri'andiather.   ymi    nefarious    I'luto — head   down- 

.  y.u  KN1  of  sn,,t  and  vine-ar  !  I  >..  \--u  ! .«• .;:  '  !  I 
•  io\\n\\ard  shall  ym  swim  the  Styx,  ..1-1  ( 'haron.  with  a  ; 
pound  shot  about  your  neck,  by  \\  ay  of  ballast  for  |  ,  ago 

The  plate.  (.Id  villain,  it'  \.m  wi>h  to  "lie  happy  mi  dry  land,  and 
keep  your  hones!  EtlliopfUl  n  !" 

liacchus  declared    hims<df  fully  sensible  of  the  dangerou<  din 


74  KAlli  \UI\K    WALTON. 

tincti'm  with  which  lie  was  threatened  ;   hut  declared  himself,  in 
set    terms,  and  with  the  most  earnest    protestations,  totally 
ignorant  of  the  \vhereahouts  of  the  missing  treasure. 

11  I'm  a  poor  nigger,  ma>ter  ;   they  never  gave  the  silver  to  me 
to  keep.      The  colonel  or  young  missis  always  kept  the  keys." 

M  us  nothing,  f.dlow."  said  ("ruden.  "  We,  know  perfectly 
vsell  that  you  are.  th»  trusted  servant  of  your  rehel  master;  wo 
know  that  you  have  helped  to  hide  the  plate,  away.  Show  us 
where  you  have  hidden  it,  and  you  will  he  rewarded;  refuse,  <>r 
pretend  not  to  know,  ard  as  certainly  as  the  commandant  swears 
it,  you  wdl  he  hung  up  to  the  nearest  tree." 

"  Head  downward  !"  muttered  Hal  four. 

"  If  you  will    h'lievr    a    poor  Mack  man  when  he  swears,  mas 
ter.  1  f,wear  to  you  I  never  had  any  hand  in  hiding  it." 

"Swear,  will   you,  old    Pluto?      And    hy  what    god  will   your 
reverence  pretei-.ii  to  swear,  eh  /"    was  the  demand  of  Hal  four. 

11  1  swear  hy  the  Messed  ].ord,  master!" 

"  I'oli!  poh!  that  wmi't  do,  you  old  rapscallion.  Would  you 
lie  taking  the  name  of  the  Lord  in  vain  ?  Would  you  have  me 
encourage  \  mi  in  violating  the  Ten  Commandments.'  Hesides, 
you  irreverent  Ichnhod,  such  an  oath  will  not  hind  such  a  sahle 
sinner  as  you  -ire.  X<»,  no;  you  shall  swear  hy  the  Hull  Apis, 
j'tia"  ;  yu  shall  swear  hy  the  Horned  .Jupiter,  hv  the 
(Jrand  Turk  and  hy  Mahomet  and  Pharaoh.  Do  you  hear? 
Will  you  sviar  )>y  .Iiipiler  Ainimm  .'" 

"  I  never  lica-d  of  such  a  person,  master." 

"You  iM-ver  did!  Is  it  jm.ssihle  /  You  see,  (Vuden,  how 
lamentahly  igii.ir.-ml  this  rrhellinus  rascal  is.  1  shall  have  to 
take  this  Kthii-.;>an  intn  my  i»wn  keeping,  and  educate  him  in  the 
right  knnwli'd.'e.  1  \\ill  teach  you,  Hu>iris.  and  make  vmi  wise 
—  that  i«,  if  I  dn  not  hang  you.  Hut  hang  you  .shall,  hy  all  the 
* — and  that  is  an  oath  i  never  break — unless  you 
nhow  where  pOU  ha\c  hid  (his  tieasui'e." 

"  I    ne\  er    hid    it,  master:     I    swear    hy  all    them    people   you 
mention  !" 

pie!        They  are    gods,    fellow,   gods!        Hut    he    swears. 

•  id    the    other;    "and    as   he  does    not  seem    to   know 


C;IIM>TI.Y   i'v  7:") 

*hmit  the  hiding,  let  him  conduct  us  to  the  ..thcr  closets  and 
ioM  PO  •:;.-.  Ti  Of€  an  other  rooms,  Bacchus"  continued  Cru- 
<ien,  who  ventured,  upon  the  somewhat  d  te  ot'  Balfonr, 

'.«»  take  a  leading  part  in  the  examination. 

"  Some  rooms  <lo\vn  .stairs,  colonel,"  said  the  i  >'rlv. 

"  Down   stairs/      Hut  arc  there  no  others  al  |     \Vliat 

i«  this   opening   here,  lor  example  /      Whither  does   th;s   a\enue 
lead  {"   and,  as  ho  iiujuired,  lie  approached  the  mouth  of  the 
.  at  tlie  extremity  of  which  Katharine  Walton  and  her  ' 
were  concealed. 

"  Here.  Bacchus,  bring  your  lijjht  here  !  This  place  imist  lead 
nom, -where  —  to  seme  cliamhcr  or  closet.  I  8,  Your 

light  !      'J'en  to  (»ne  this  conducts   us   to    the    hiding-place    ol    the 
•ire." 

The  hand  of  Katharine  clasped  convulsively  the  arm  of  Sin- 
irleton,  as  she  hear«l  these  .-ug^estions.  Her  companion  felt  all 
the  awkwardness  of  their  situation  ;  hut  he  apprehended  little  of 
its  danger-.  lie  felt  that  he  was  cjiiite  a  match  for  Tn 
even  agaii»<  the  half-drunken  Kalfmir  ;  and  he  had  no  douht 
that  Hacchus  would  not  wait  for  his  orders  or  those  of  hi 

to  join  in  a  death-grapple  with  t'.r  enemy.     !!••  ucntly  j-n 

the  hand  of  the  maiden,  with  the  design  to  reassure  IK  r  ;  then 
(juietly  felt  the  handle  of  his  dirk.  His  hreat:  painfully 

suppressed,  however,  as  lie  waitc«l  for  the  movement  <»r  the  : 
of  K-iechus.      That  faithful    fellow  was  siilliciently  promjit  in  the 
endeavor  at  evasion. 

"That's  only  the  passage  into  the  open  halcoi  :    that 

just    leads   out    into   the   open    air;"    and  speakini;   thus,  he  i 
lutelv  hore  the  li^rht  in  the  opposite  direction. 

"  Never  you  mind  ;  liring  the  light  lien1,  fellow  ;  U-t  us  866** 
—  the  very  apparent  reluctance  of  Macchns  stimulating  the  cnii- 
onity  of  ( 'i  U'ien. 

"  Thtt  open  air!"  said  Halfour.  "To  1-e  sine,  I  want  a  little 
rresh  air.  The  halconv,  t->o  |  That  ibould 

the  ]>rospect.     The  sen,,.  1,\    >':srliglit  must  he  a  lii..  \\  e'll 

but  lo.»k-out  for  a  moment.  ( 'ni den  ;    ami  then  give  up  the  search 
for   the    night.        I'm    sleepy,    and,    after    another    t««uch    «>t 
tankanl,  will  doff  hoots  and    hull',  and    to   hed.      This   ignoramtif 


7<>  KATII AKIXF.    \V\L.ON. 

knows  nothing.  We'll  find  the  plate  in  the  cellar,  or  mi  Icr  some 
of  the  trees,  with  :i  little  digging.  Don't  l.e  uneasy;  I  carry  a 
divining  rod,  which  is  pretty  sure  to  conduct  me  to  all  hiding- 
pi. ict -s.  It  only  needs  that  the  rod  should  he  put  in  pickle  t'.n 
awhile.  Ha,  i'ellow,  do  you  know  what  is  meant  hy  a  rod  in 
pickle  ?" 

14  Don't  let  us  forget  the  halcony,  Balfour.  Do  you  not  wish 
to  look  out  upon  the  night  /" 

44  Ay,  true  ;    to  lie  sure." 

"  Here,  fellow,  Bacchus,  your  light  here." 

"  Yes,  Mr,"  was  the  answer;  and  the  heart  of  Katharine  Wal 
ton  liounded  to  her  mouft  ns  she  heard  the  suhdued  reply,  and 
listened  to  the  movement  of  feet  in  the  direction  of  the  passage. 
But  Bacchus  had  no  intention  of  complying  with  a  reijuisition 
which  he  felt  so  dangerous  to  the  safety  of  those,  whom  he  loved 
nnd  honored.  The,  negro,  fin-red  to  the  final  necessity.* still  had 
his  refuge  in  a  native  cunning.  It  was  at  the  moment  when  he 
turned,  as  if  to  ohey  the  imperative  commands  of  Cruden,  that 
Balfour  wheeled  ahout  to  approach  him  ;  and  Bacchus  timed  his 
own  movements  so  well,  that  his  evolutions  hrought  him  into 
sudden  contact  with  the  person  of  the  conftnandant.  The  light 
fell  from  his  hand,  and  was  instantly  extinguished,  while  a  cry 
of  terror  from  the  (•(lender  furnished  a  new  provocation  to  the 
curiosity  of  the  British  officers. 

"  Lord  ha'  mercy  upon  me!    what  is  that  ?" 

44  Wli.-it's  what,  you  hloody  l.shmaelite '/"  exclaimed  Balfour, 
in  sudden  fury.  "You've,  ruined  my  coat  with  your  accursed 
candlegrr. 

"  Lord  ha'  mercy  !  Lord  ha'  mercy  !"  cried  the  negro,  in  well- 
affected  terror. 

"  What  scare-  \..u,  fool  f"   demanded  Cmden. 

"  You  no  B66(  master  /  The  old  lady  !  She  walks!  I  sec 
her  jeM  as  1  was  turning  with  the  candle." 

"What,  the  old  landgrave's  housekeeper?"  demanded  Bal- 
four. 

"  I '-haw  !"  ci'ied  C^ru<len  ;  "  doji't  encourage  this  hlockhead  in 
his  Donseme.  A\\a\  ,  fool,  and  relight  your  canuie  ;  and  may 
the  devil  take  you  a<  you  go  !" 


ClInsTI.Y    I1  »  77 

The  commissioner  of  confiscate.',  now  thon»n«:hlv 

r.nised.       His    disappointment,    in    the    search    arter   the    in: 
plat.',  and  the  fear  that  it  would  prove  \sholly  Leyond  his  reach, 
had  vexed    him    Leyond  endurance.      He  ITU   really  ^l.-ul   of  an 

-ion  to  vent  his  fury  upon  the  nej^ro,  since  the  temper  of 
Halfour  was  such  as  to  render  it  necessary  that  he  should  exliihit 
the  utmost  forbearance  in  regard  to  his  conduct,  which  Cruden 

nevertheless  greatly  disposed  f;  censure  a  thousand  til: 
day.      It  was  with    a    heavy  ImtVet    that    he    >eiit   Hacchus  off  to 

ire   a   li^rht,  following    his   departure  with  a  volley  of  oaths, 
which  proved  that,  if  slow  to  provocation,  his  wrath,  when  IU 
e.l,  was  siith'ciently  unmeasured.      Kven   Halfour  found  it  ju 
to  rehuke  the  violence  which  did  not  scruple  at  the  quality  of  his 

em 

••  1  '    n't  swear.  (Yuden,  don't;    its  a    pernicious    immoral    prac 
tice;    and  here,  in  the  dark,  at  midnight  —  tor  I  heard  the  d 

«•  In-low  jn>t  before  old  Charon  di-opjieil  the  candle  —  and 
with  the  po.'-ihility  —  I  >ay  possibility,  Ciuden  —  that  \\f 

winded    hy  spirits    of   the    dead.  . 

•  :.-.l ile  shades  oi'  imhility  —  fur  y-.u  11:1;-;    n-.t    1'or^et    that  the 
ant-extors    of  this    rehe!    colonel    were    landgraves    and    lam: 
vinoes  —  his  grandmother,  as  \mi  hear,  hein^  the  first  landi: 
in  tlie  family — yii  saw  her  jnnirait  on  the  wall,  with  an  evident 
heard  upon  her  chin,  no  douht  intended  hy  tin-  painter  • 
the  dijrnitv  and  authority  (.f  her  rank,  as  Michael  An^'elo  painted 
M..VI-.,  \\ith  a    pair   i.f   honi»  ;    and    there    is   a    propriety  in  it.  do 
;      for    «rho^ts —  I'y    the     way.    Oniden,    JfOU     i'fKeve     in 
^In-!,.   ,l,,,,ft    you  /" 

•    \ '..t  a  Lit." 

"  V    u  don't  ?      Then  I'm    s»ny  for  his   maj.--" 
it   has  Mich  an  unhelievin^  infnlrl    in  it.      A  man  without    faith  i« 
no  hctter   than    a  Turk.      I:'  that    he    ha* 

And  that's  the  true  roatOD  why  these   Americans  i 
The  moment    the\-  ceased    to  lu-lieve  in  r.h"st«;  and  <»the 
things,  they  wanted  to  -  themselves.      |)on't  you  follow 

their  example.      Hut  where  are  \  n\\  ^nin^  i" 

Cniden  was  striding  to  and  fro  impatiently. 

"  Nowhe.rtj." 


f8  KATIIAIIINK    WALTON. 

"  Hon't  attempt  to  walk  in  this  solid  darkness  counselled  the 
moralizing  Balfour,  who  gradually,  and  \vitli  some  effort,  holding 
on  to  the  wall  the  while,  let  himself  down  upon  the  floor,  his 
solid  hulk,  in  spite  of  all  his  caution,  giving  it  a  heavy  shake  as 
he  descended.  "Don't  walk,  Cruden  ;  you  may  happen  upon 
a  pitfall  ;  you  may  {ret  to  the  stairway  and  slip.  Ah  !  did  you 
hear  nothing,  Cniden  ./" 

•Nothing!"   somewhat  ahmptly. 

"  I  surely  heard  a  whisper  and  a  rustling,  as  if  of  some  in- 
rient  silken  garment.  Come  near  to  me,  ("ruder.,  if  you  wo-.dd 
hear.  I  wish  that  fellow  Bacchus  would  make,  haste  with  Ilia 
light.  1  surely  heard  a  footstep!  Listen,  Crnden." 

"I  hear  nothing  !  It's  your  fancy,  Balfonr  ;"  and  the  other 
continued  to  stride  away  as  lie  spoke,  not  seeming  to  heed  the 
repeated  riMjuests  of  Balfoor  to  aj)proach  him,  in  order  properly 
to  listen. 

Balfonr's  senses,  in  all  prohahility  had  not  deceived  him.  The 
moment  that  Bacchus  had  disappeared,  Singleton  whispered  to 
his  trembling  companion  — 

"  Now  is  our  time,  Kate,  if  we,  would  escape.  Bacchus  has 
flung  down  his  li-ht  only  to  give  us  the  opportunity.  Let  us 
use  it." 

"  But  they  are  at  the  entrance  .'" 

"  I  think  not.  Near  it,  1  grant  you  ;  hut  on  the  side,  nod 
with  room  enough  for  us  to  pass.  Follow  me." 

It  was  lucky  that  the  necessities  of  the  service  had  long  since 
forced  upon  Singh-ton  the  use  of  moccasins.  There  were  few 
hoots  in  the  camp  of  Marion.  The  soft  huckskin  enahled  our 
partisan  to  tread  lightly  through  the  passage;  the  heavy  tread 
of  (  'riiden  contributing  greatly  to  hush  all  inferior  sounds.  Sin- 
trlefon  grasped  firmly,  hut  gently,  the  wrist  of  his  companion. 
Hut  she.  no  longer  trembled  ;  her  soul  was  now  fully  nerved  to 
the  task.  Balfour  had,  however,  in  reality,  settled  down  in  part, 
at  the  entrance  of  the  p  B  -i-eking  this  position  of 

humility  and    repose  ;it    the  very  moment  when    the    two    began 
their  movement.      For   the  instant,  it    compelled    them  to  pan 
hut  when  a»ured  that  lie  \va^  fairly  couched,  they  passed  Hghtly 
beside  him  ;  and,  had  not  his  superstitious  fancies  Keen  awakened 


i'\ 
by  the   -t»ry  "f  the  ghostly  landgravine,  his  Mi-pi«-i..:i.,  mi^ht 

have  i  .-I'll  more  keenly  awakened    hy  tin  i    rust!in_ 

tlu-  ancient  silk.      TD  steer  wide  ofCnideil  WAI 

(»nr  fniriti\es,  as  his  i'>.it>teps  announced  his  whereabouts  with 

peculiar  emphasis.     The  irreat  p  .  1  with  s.* 

and  the  maiden  paused  at  li  her  chamher.     Fortnsia1 

it  had  heen  left  ajar  when  >he  joined  Singleton,  though  this  had 
been  done  Writhoiti  ri-ard  to  any  aiit'u-ipations  «>{'  the  intrrrti|i- 
tiitns  they  had  undergone.  'I'n  jmsh  it  open  and  en:  -ned 

no  noise.  Singleton  detained  hiT  only  for  an  instant,  as  he 
v/hi.-peivd  — 

not   alarmed,  K;ite,  at  anything   that  may  take  plan-  to 
night —  at  any  iipn>ar  or  commotion." 

"What    me. .n    y>u  ,'       What Hut  p>  !        1    hear    Bacchic. 

You  have  not  a  moment  to  1 

lie    JMV— ed    hrr    hand,  and    stoh-    oil'  to    the    stairway.      The 
-  yielded  and  creaked  as  he  de.M'ended  ;    hut  the  heavy  i 
.iideii  still  served  as  a  suHiricut  diver.sion  of  the  souml  li-m 
the  M-n.ses   of  the    HritMi  ulliecrs.      Our   |.arti.-an  pa»ed  on    that 
side  of  the  hall  heh.w  which  lay  in  .shadow,  lu-ing  eareful  n 
jdare  himself   v.ithin  the  ran^e  of  the  li^ht  easrii-il    l.y   liaeehus, 
v.-h<>  liiiu  in  the    passage.      He    had    soiiu-thin^  to  >ay  to 

the  ne^ro,  1m!  i    it  prudently,  nothing  douhtin^r   that    he 

would  find  his  uay  to  his  chamber  when  all  had  heroine  oniet 
in  the  h«.-. 

J.et  Bfl  ODCfl  J  '  d  with  the  liirht.  ami  see  the  condition 

oftheenemj.     Bulfoti    irafl  philosophi/in-.    n;>  drink  had  ivn- 

den-d  him  si>me\\li;it  Mipei  stitious. 

'•  I                         n,"  said  he,  "if  I   have  i.«.t   felt  the  rustlii; 
^h">t'H  petticoat  to-ni^ht,  may   I  he !" 

"  1    see  no  necessity  why  even    a  female    ^ho>t  sh.>nl 

"  It  would  be  a  very  improper  thin^  to  appear  without  them," 
wa-  ;!  i  cU  ent  rejdy.  "  i  :inued  our  phOo80phOT|  "  1 

!y  heard  her 

"Really.  Hal  four,  if  I  could  concciv  M!!.  I  -h-nhl 

certainly  ha\<-  MI  to  suppose  that  the'.  'lake 

any  noise  in  walking  A  -host,  with  so  much  materiality  I 


Ml  KATHAUIXi;    WALTON. 

it  H*  to  make  her  tout  .teps  heard,  is  one  with  whom  any  strong 
man  might  safely  grapple." 

"Cruden,  Crudon,  you  are  no  better  than  a  pagan.  You 
have  no  laith  in  sac-red  things.  1  certainly  heard  a  rustling  as 
'Iks,  and  the  tread  of  a  person  as  if  in  slippers  —  a  dainty, 
light,  female  fontstej),  such  as  might  reasonably  he  set  down  hy 
an  ancient  lady  of  noble  family.  I  am  SUM*  it  was  a  ghost.  I 
fed  all  over  as  if  a  cold  wind  had  heen  blowing  upon  me.  I 
must  have  a  noggin  ;  I  must  drink!  I  must  sleep.  Confound 
the  plate,  I  say  !  I'd  sooner  lose  it  all  than  feel  so  cursed  un 
comfortable." 

"  1  am  afraid  it  /.v  lu.st,  Balfour,"  responded  the  otlier,  in  tones 
of  more  luguhrious  solemnit  y  than  those  which  his  companion 
hail  u.M'd  in  the  di.scus.sion  of  the  su}iernatural. 

"  N-i  matter,"  was  the.  reply  of  Hal fou r  ;   ••  we'll  talk  the  mat 
ter  oxer  iii  the  daylight.      I  don't  despair.      There  is  the,  cellai 
yet,  and    the.  vaults.      Vaults  are    famous    places,  as    I    told  you 
/or  hiding  treasure.      But  the  mention  of  vaults  hrings  hack  that 
.tin.     AYhere  are  you,  Cruden  .'      AVliy  do  you  walk  off 
:ich   a   distancr  .'      Beware  !      You'll    tumhle   down   the  step* 
iteadlong,   and    1    shall    then    have   you   haunting   me   for   ever 

"  Xo  fear,  lint  here  the  negro  comes  with  the.  light.  Per 
haps  it  is  just  as  well  that  we  should  go  to  hed  at  onee,  and 
lea\e  the  search  till  the  moiMiing.  It  is  not  likelv  that  we  shall 
nijjkc  much  pi  :>!er  jiresent  circnmstair 

"S.meol    that    liquor   iirst,  Cruden.      My  nighl-cap   is   neces- 

tfary  to  my  sh-ep.      1  thought   I  had  taken  ijuite  enough  already; 

hut  this  cold  wind    has  chilled  me  to  the  hone>.  and    sohered  me, 

entirely.      The    »ho>t    must  have,  had   .something  to  do  with  it  — 

-  pirit  acting  upon  anotln 

"Tin1  light  no\v  aj.peared,  and  llaeehus  emerged  from  the 
Htairhead  ;  and  with  an  evident  grin  upon  his  features  as  lie  he- 
held  Cruden  erert  in  the  centre  o{'  the  passage,  as  if  douhtfu! 
wher*  to  turn,  hi-wildeicd  utterly  in  the  (lark;  and  Hal  four  ai 
the  extremity  of  it,  his  huge  frame  in  a  sitting  posture,  in  whicb 
dignity  did  not  seem  to  have  been  greatly  consulted. 

"  UA,  Beel/ehub,"  cried  the  commandant,  the  moment  he  bo 


«;IH»SILV   r  «1 

held  tin;  visage  ..!'  tin-    neirro,  "you  arc    hot-  at  last  !      TliH 
hanging   matter,  yi»u   scoundrel,  to  leave  us    here  in  the  dark    to 
IK-  tormented    l.y  I:  -  of  your   old   grandmother.       1    ! 

lmii£   many  a  hetter   fellow  than  yourself  lor   half  the  oil'.- 
and,  Were  you  a  white  man,  yon  should  never   B6f  another   d;-y- 
li^lit.      Look    to  it,  rascal,  and    toe   the  mark    hereafter,  or    even 
your  complexion  shall  in .t  save  yon  from  the  gallo, 

"  J    will  look  to  it,  jrenrral,  jest  as  you  tell  in 

"  See  that  yon  do.  Here,  (Yuden.  p\r  me  an  arm  ;  my  limit? 
se«-m  (jiiite  still'  and  numhed.  That  infernal  wind!  It  was 
surely  -'em-rated  in  a  sepulchre  !" 

Ouden  did   as  he  was   desired,  and    the    hulky  proportion.-,   of 
the  commandant  wen-    raiseil    to    an  erect    position   on  the    li 
11'     >tond    motionless  fur    a  moment,  having    thrown  oil    the  arm 
that  helped  him  uji,  as  if  to  steady  himscdf  for  further  ; 
hut  !.  or  rather  h:>  Mi].erstiti..u>  i  i  really  d 

iwueh  to  soher  him.      His  hesitation  was  due  less  to  any  real 

,    than    to  his   own  douhts  of  the  eertainty  of  his    i 
Whih-    thus  he  sto.id,  Cnnli'ii    in  the   advance,  and    r>aeehn>    he- 
tween  the  two,  aiming  to  divide  the  li^ht  with  strict  imj.aiti  , 
for  their  mutual  heneiit,  the  eyes  of  Halfour  re.^ted  ujion  the  jn.r 
traits  against    the  wall.      That    of  the   aneient    lan< 
Compelled  his  attention. 

"  Hark  you.  lieel/.ehuh  ;    that,  you  say,  is   the  veiierahle  lady 
who  .still    keejis  hoiiM-  here  at  midnight  f      She  is   the  proprietor 
of  the  jjio.xt    hy  which   I    ha\e    heen   haunted.       It   was    her 
menl  that  ni.stli-d  In-.siMe  me,  and  her  fo..|>teps  that   1   heard; 
it  wa>    she    that    New  upon    me  with   her   ^ho.stly  hreath,  giving 
me  rold  and  rheumatics.      She  shall    hnrn  as  a  \\itch  to-mor: 
\\ith  her    rehel  LTiand.son.      1  )o  you    hear,  fellow?      Let    the    : 
ots    he   collected   after    lnvakfa>t    to-moi'ro\v.      We   shall    have  a 
hoiifne  that  hhall    he  a  due  uainin^  to  witih  and  ichel  ;    ami    to 
all,  you  sooty  rascal,  th;.1  ;n  tlirin." 

"Conn-,  Halfour,  h-t  us  n-tiie." 

.1  the  head  of  the  stairway. 

"  Let  us  drink,  first.  Ad\anre  the  IL'M,  Heel/.ehnh  ;  and  nc« 
that  you  hear  it  BtCAilHy.  I»i'-p  .'id  I  smite  yi»ur  head 

off  whuru  you   stand,  -li  --!    «n    no  u;ho-t.      It's   not   so  sure,  v 


>2  KATHAR1NK    WAl.TO.V. 

that  you  shall  escape  from  hanging.  It'  there  be  but  a  single 
bj.ot  of  gira>e  "it  my  regimentals  to-morrow,  I  >ecl/ebub-  — say 
your  prayers  suddenly.  1  shall  give  you  very  little  time." 

The  jiartv  at  length  found  themselves  >afcly  below.      Scarcely 

had   thev  disappeared,  when   Mistiv.ss    Barbara  Walton   put   hei 

out  of  her  chamber  door,      She  had  overheard  the  progress 

Inning  to  end.      She  had  drank  in,  with  particular  sense 

of  indignation,  that    portion    of  the   dialogue  which,  as   the    two 

ollit-ers  lirst    ascended    the  stairs,  had  related    to  herself,  and  the 

cavalier  disposition  which  it  was  proposed  to  make  of  her:   and 

.slu-  frit  that  she  was  in  some  measure  retorting  upon  the  parties 

themselves   when    she.    could  vent    her   anger   Oil    the    very    spot 

uh'rh  had  witnessed  their  insolence,. 

"The  hrutes!"  she  replied;  "the  foreign  brutes  !  Hut  1  de- 
them  from  the.  bottom  of  my  heart.  1  would  not  bestow 
:nv  hand  upon  their  king  himself,  the,  mi.serable  Hanover  turnip, 
.lone  his  hirelings.  The  drunken  wretches  !  Oh!"  she  ex 
claimed,  locking  up  at  the  picture  of  the  veneiable  landgravine 
threatened  with  the  flames  —  "oh!  how  I  wish  that  her  blessed 
spirit  could  have,  breathed  upon  them,  the  blasphemous  wretch 
es —  breathed  cramps  upon  their  bones,  the  abominable  heathens  ! 
To  speak  ..f  UK',  as  they  have  done!  ()|  me,  —  the  only  sister 
of  Richard  Walton!  Oh,  if  he  were  here  —  if  I  could  only  toll 
him  how  1  have,  been  treated  !" 

The  iJiitish  oHu-ei>  sulVeied  little,  from  this  burst  of  indig 
nation.  Balfour  was  soon  comforted  in  the  enjoyment  of  his 
night-rap;  and  (•ruden  was  not  unwilling  to  console  himself, 
under  his  disappointment,  by  sharing  freely  of  the  beverage. 
In  a  little  while  both  of  them  were  asleep  —  the  former  in  lull 
:i  of  Mich  a  sleep  as  could  only  follow  from  the  use  of 

such  a  night-cap. 


THH 


CHAPTER    IX 

HI\U    'I'll  I'.    ALA  K.M-UKU.. 
IT  was  not  very  li»n«r  after   the   house  had  hecome  <|iiiot,  that 

the  faithful  Bacchus  ini«:ht  have  heen  .seen  entering  the  chamber 

"I  Singleton,  «ir.  as  we  shall  continue  to  rail  him  for  a  time,  the 
captain  of  loyalists.  lie  reinaine.i  .some  tijne  in  r«.un-el  with 
the  latter;  and,  at  len-th.  the  t  \vo  ciiiei  .  :\ny  fimi 

room.      But  they  came  forth   in  utter  darkness.  invisihle  \»  , 
other.  xiid  oidy  secure  in  their  movements  l>v  their  e<jual  famil 
iarity  with   the   .several    hu-alitir>  .it'  :h,-  bouse.      \\'  men 
tion  that  l-'urne.s.s   had    not  sought   his    coiudi  wln-n    he 
from  Katharine  Walton.      He  \vas  now  armed  to  thr  UT;!I.  with 
.sword   and    pistol  ;    his  hunting-horn    susjx-nded    from   his   neck, 
and  his  whole  appearance  that  of  one  ready  for  ili-ht  . 
Bacchic  IOOH  left  his  sidi1,  and   our    j'arti>an  aw;iited  him  i: 

of  the  hall.      But  a  little   time   had   flaps, -d  uh,>n 
the  m--ro  rejoined  him.      They  then  let't  the  1,  ;her,  and 

^isapjteared  aim. njj  the  shade-trees  which  surrounded  it 

An    hoiir  mi^ht  have   elapsed    after  their  B,  when  the 

Milence    of  midnight  was    hroken    hy  tho    sin-le    l.last  <>f  a  hoin. 
lently    sounded    at    some    •:  ,  ;    l.v 

anotluM-    that    seemed  Irom    the    fn-nt    aven;  • 

dwidlin^.      Both  avenues,  front    and    rear,  ha-;  i,  in 

part,  hy  the  detachment  \shich   had    ftCOOOOpanied  the  command 
ant  from  Dorchoter.  and  which  \v;>  ju>f l\    si:pp. •>«••!  fully  e'pial 
to    his   protection    and    objects.      1')',;!    ihe    force    which. 
tratetl,  wouhl   have    heen   ade.p;  purposes,  was 

intlicieut  t)  cover   the  vast   extent  of  \\,,ods  \shich  encoinpa««ed 


8-1  KATHAKIM:  \V.\I.TO\. 

tin-  dwelling;  and  his  men,  when  scattered,  were  really  logl 
amidst  the  spacious  forest-area  of  which  "The  Oaks"  constituted 
tli-'  centre.  Distributed  at  certain  points,  as  guards  ami  senti 
nels,  ho\\ever  well  disposed,  there  were  still  long  stretches  of 
space  and  thicket  which  the  detachment  failed  to  cover;  tllTOUgh 
the  avenues  of  which  a  suhtle  scout,  familiar  with  the  region, 
might  easily  pick  his  way,  unseen  and  unsuspected,  under  cover 
of  the.  night.  The  Scotch  oilicer  on  duty  for  the  night,  a  rap- 
tain  M'Dowell,  was  circumspect  and  vigilant;  but  he  was  ig 
norant  of  the  neighborhood,  and,  without  any  inferiority  of 
intelligence  or  neglect  of  duty,  had  failed  to  dispose  his  little 
force  to  the  best  advantage.  Hut  he  was  wakeful;  and  the 
Kound  of  the  midnight  and  mysterious  horn  had  aroused  him  to 
every  exercise  of  vigilance.  Another  signal  followed  from  an 
other  ijuarter,  which,  after  a  brief  pause,  was  echoed  from  a 
fourth  ;  and  our  worthy  captain  of  the  guard  began  to  fancy 
that  his  Tittle  force  was  entirely  surrounded.  He  at  mice  pro- 
reeded  to  array  and  bring  his  separate  sijuads  together;  keep 
ing  them  as  much  as  possible  ///  Imml,  and  in  preparation  for 
all  events.  We  need  not  follow  him  in  his  operations,  satisfied 
that,  awakened  to  a  sense  of  possible  danger,  he  is  the  man  to 
make  the,  best  disposition  of  his  reson: 

It  was  in  the  moment  when  Balfour's  sleep  was  of  the  pro- 
foundest  character,  that  Cruden,  followed  by  his  white  servant, 
both  armed,  but  very  imperfectly  dressed,  bolted  headlong  into 
the  chamber  of"  the  keeping  commandant.  He  heard  nothing  of 
the  intrusion.  He  was  in  a  world  very  far  awav  from  that  in 
which  he  was  required  to  play  his  part  —  a  world  in  which  hit-, 
dreams  of  delight  were  singularly  mixed  with  those  of  doubt  ; 
in  which  visions  of  boundless  treasures  were  opened  to  his  sight 
but  denied  his  gra>p  —  a  pale,  spectral  form  of  an  ancient  lady 
rejoicing  in  a  beard,  always  passing  between  him  and  the  object 
of  his  desires.  There  wen-  other  visions  to  charm  his  eyes,  in 
which  the  treasure  to.ik  the  shape  of  a  beautiful  young  woman 
while  the  obstacle,  that  opposed  his  approach  was  that  of  a  fierce 
rebel,  breathing  rage  and  defiance,  whom  his  fancy  readily  con 
ceived  to  he  no  other  than  the  insurgent  father  of  Katharine 
Walton.  With  a  brain  thus  filled  with  confused  and  conflicting 


RING    Till-;    Al.AUM-HKLL. 

objects,  and   n  it  altogether  free  from  the  ellects  of  th.it  t  -rpity- 

ing  nostrum  upon  which   he   had   retired,  tin-  events  in 

in  his  actual  world,  however  startling,  made   little  or  no  im, 

hion  upon  hi>  The   noise   that  tilled  1. 

ated  happily  with  the  incidents  in  his  dreaming  experience,  and 

this  failed  entirely  to  amuse  him  to  external  consciousn> 

"  He  sleeps  like  an  ox,"  cried  Cruden,  as  he  held  the  candle 
above  the  .sleeper,  and  shook  him  roughly  hy  the  shoulder. 

"lla!  ho!  there!  What  would  you  he  after/  Will  you 
deny  me  ID  ,  u  think  that  I  will  give  it  up  — 

that    I    fear    your    sword,   you    infernal    rehel,  or   your Kh  ! 

what  !" — opening  his  e\ 

The  rough  ministry  of  the  commissioner  of  confiscated  e.states 
at  length  promised  to  he,  ell'ectual.  The  incoherent  speech  of 
the  dreamer  began  to  exhibit  signs  of  a  returning  faculty  of 
thought. 

"  What  !    Cnulen  !    you  !      What  the  devil 's  the  matter  ?" 

"Do  you  not  hear/  The  devil  seems  to  he  the  matter  in 
deed  !" 

"  Hear!      What  should  I  hear?" 

"What  !  do  you  not  hear  /  There's  uproar  enough  to  rouse 
all  the  seven  sleepers,  I  should  think." 

11  And  so  there  is  !      What  is  it  /" 

11  U    use  up,  and  get  yourself  dre.-»rd.      There  i>  a  surp: 
thing  like  it." 

With  the  aid  of  Cm. leu  and  his  servant,  the  commandant  was 
soon  upon  his  feet,  rather  submitting  to  he  put  into  clothes  and 
armor  than  greatly  succoring  himself.  His  laeu!1  still 

bewildered,  but    brightening  with    the    rise  and  1'all  of  the  n 
from  without.     T!.  -ueh  as  might  naturally  be  oceasi«>ned 

by  the  >  '    midnight,  by  an   enemy  —  the  rush 

and    shi-ut    of  men    on    h«>r.-ehai-k.  the    blast    of  bugles,  and    oo 

nally  the  sharp  p«-!cu>sion  of  the  pistol-sh«'«  suddenly  1 
above  the  general  eoniusion. 

It  was  not    1":  .  .1  I  \  .      With  sw<»rd  and 

1  in  hand,  accompanied  by  (Vuden  sim:hrly  eijiiippeil,  he  now 
made  his  way  out  of  the  chamber  to  the  front  entrance  of  thr 
house  in  \\hieh  quarter  thr 


8ti  KATHAKINK    WALTON. 

Wlen  there,  ami  standing  in  the  open  air  under  the  light  of  the 
*tars,  they  could  more  distinctly  trace  tin1  progress  of  the  noise. 
It  seemed  to  spread  now  equally  away  to  the  river,  on  the  mute 
below,  and  in  the  rear  of  the  mansion,  making  in  a  westerly 
direction.  They  had  not  well  begun  making  their  observations, 
uncertain  in  which  direction  to  turn  their  steps,  when  they  sud 
denly  beheld  a  lithe  and  active  figure  darting  from  the  thicket 
in  the  rear,  and  making  toward  them.  The  stranger  was  at  om-e 
challenged  by  C'ruden,  and  proved  to  be  our  loyalist  captain, 
Furness.  He.  too,  carried  sword  and  pistol  ready  in  his  grasp  ; 
and  his  voice  and  manner  were  those  of  one  eager  and  excited 
bv  the  frav.  He  seemed  nowise  surprised  by  their  appearance, 
however  iiiucli  they  may  have  been  at  his. 

"  Rather   more   scared    than    hurt,  1   reckon,  colonel,"  was  bis 
frank  and  ready  salutation.     "  How  long  have  you  been  out?" 

"  Only    this    moment,"   was   the    answer   of   Balfour.     "  lint 
what's  the  matter  /" 

"There's  no  telling  exactly.  Everything  seems  to  have 
become  wild  without  a  reason.  I  was  mused  from  as  sweet  a 
sleep  as  I  ever  tasted,  by  the  ringing  of  a  horn  in  my  very  ears 
—  so  it  seemed  to  me.  And  then  tin-re  was  another  horn  an 
swering  to  that  ;  then,  after  a  little  while,  there  was  a  shout  and 
a  halloo,  and  the  rush  of  one  horse,  and  then  another,  and  then 
a  score  of  pistol-shots.  With  that,  I  j  -it  >ut  to  see  what  was 
the  matter,  and  what  was  to  be  done,  and  followed  in  the  direc 
tion  of  the  noise;  but  1  could  find  out  nothing,  got  bewildered 
in  the  woods,  and,  in  beating  about  for  an  opening,  1  heard  a 
rush  not  far  off.  Now.  says  I,  the  enemy  is  upon  me;  and  1 
itr.-iced  mvself  up  for  a  hard  light  as  well  as  1  could.  I  heard 
tin-  bush  break  suddenly  just  before  me,  and  1  called  out.  No 
an^uer;  but,  as  the  bush  moved,  1  cracked  away  at  it  with  a 
pistol  >hot,  and  soon  heard  a  scamper.  It  proved  to  be,  an  old 
cow,  who  was  evidently  more  alarmed  than  anybody  rise.  She 
moved  oil'  mighty  brisk  ai'ter  that  ;  but  it's  ten  to  one,  she  car 
ries  the  mark  of  my  bullet.  I  was  so  nigh  to  her  that  1  could 
not  well  have  missed." 

"And  this  is  all  you  know,  Captain  Fumess  ?" 

"  Pretty  muvh   aH  !      I    have  only  seen  two  or  three  of  Uw* 


RTX<;  THF:  ALARM-BOX.  87 

troupers,  and  they  seemed  so  much  disposed  to  send  tlioir  hul- 
lets-  at  me,  that  1  have  tried  t«i  >teer  clear  of  tli<'in.  They  are 
out  mostly  somewhere  t«»  tin-  wot  ;  but  they  know  thy 
country  better  Mian  1  do,  for  I've  <juite  lost  my  reckoning  when 
1  am." 

At  this  moment,  the  clatter  of  a  horseman,  at  a  hard  gallop, 
awakened  the  curiosity  of  all  parties  anew.  He  emerged  fi"in 
the  rear  avenue  to  the  dwelling,  and  soon  alighted  before  I'.d- 
i'our.  II'  ant,  ami  a  pretty  old  one,  despatched  by 

the  captain  of  the  ^uard    to   satisfy  the   douhts   ami    imjuiri' 
his  superior.     \\\n  his  information  was  very  meagre.     It  amounted 
ojily  to  this  —  that  there   had    heen  an  alarm;    that  the  po>t  had 
IK-CM    apparently    threatened    on    every  side    at    ditVcrent    tii: 
tliat    hii^lcs    had    heen    soiindeil,  seemingly  as   visual-,  hut    that 
they  had  MTU  no  human    enemy,  and    had   found    nothing  li\  inj; 
within  their  circuit    \>\\l    thenuelvefl   and  a  drove  of'  milch  cattle 
Still,  sonic  uf  the  men  had  reported  the  sound  ..f  i 
of  a  (on>iderahlr    party  of   mounted   men;    and.  as  th.-y  M 
upon  the  report,  the    captain    had    deemed    it    advisahle    to 
the  search  in  the  direction  which  the  enemy  had  heen  described 
as  having  pursued.      Thi>  was   all    that  he  could  say.      He  eyed 
our    loyalist    captain    rather    closely    timing    the    recital,   and    at 
length  said  — 

"Was  it  you,  sir,  I  met  oil'  here  in  the  south,  heating  ahmit 
the  hu.sh- 

"I    rei-knn    it    \\as.    servant;    and,    ii'    I    hail  n't    heen    quick 
eiuui^li.  your  pist.-I  -hot  wouldn't    have  left  me  much  chain  • 
Miisuerin^  you  n«>\v.      'T  was  the  nari'.ue-t  e-«ape   1   e\er  had." 

"  And  why  didn't  you  answer/" 

the  Lest  of  reaaOOS,  You  ask«-d  me  IMI  the  word,  and 
I  knew  nothing  ahout  it.  Hut  I'll  take  pn.d  ean-  ne\er  to  \,,1- 
anteei  a^ain  when  there's  a  Hirpri.se,  \sithout  ^ettin;^  projier  in- 
Jormation  liefondiand." 

'1  :  :nt    looked    for  a  moment  steadily  at    the  captain  nl 

loyali>t>.      lie  Wtl  a  ibrewd,  keen.  almo>t   \\  hite  headed  >ohlier, 
and  the  ^-a/.e  of  his  l-ht  hlue  e  •.  -id   pi-net  rating,  HJ 

if   lie  ;    to  this    s,-i-ati!:\    a-    a     last 

tiouhtS;     hut    the   Mpju-aranri-  .-t  'Fun:-  '-lllailV' 


88  KATII. \IUNK    WALTON. 

and  nonchalant  He  did  not  appear  to  n^ard  himself  as  an  ob 
ject  of  watch,  or  doubt,  or  inquiry  at  all.  The  soldier  seemed 
at  length  satis  lied;  and,  touching  his  cap  reverently,  said  to 
Balfour  — 

"  It's  all  right,  colonel  ?" 

"  Yes,  sergeant,  that  will  do.  Remount,  and  hurry  back  to 
Captain  M'Dovvell.  Tell  him  to  discontinue  this  chase.  He 
may  only  find  himself  in  some  cursed  ambush.  Let  him  return, 
and  resume  his  station.  We  shall  hear  his  full  report  in  tho 
daylight." 

The  sergeant  bowed,  and  cantered  off  in  a  moment. 

"  It  seems  you  had  a  narrow  escape,  Captain  Furness,"  said 
Balfour,  with  more  of  respectful  consideration  in  his  manner  than 
had  usually  marked  his  deportment  when  addressing  the  loyal 
ist. 

"  Ye*,  indeed,  colonel;  a  much  narrower  escape  than  a  man 
bargains  for  at  the  hands  of  his  friends." 

"But  it  was  all  a  mistake,  captain." 

"True;  but  it's  a  mighty  small  consolation,  with  a  bullet 
through  one's  brains  or  body,  to  be  told  that  the  shot  was  meant 
for  a  very  different  person." 

"Never  mind,  captain  —  a  miss,  as  your  own  people  sav,  is  as 
good  as  a  mile,.  It  is  something  gained  for  yon  that  we  have 
had  such  excellent  proof  of  your  vigilance  and  courage  in  his 
majesty's  cause.  Future  favors  will  heal  past  hurts." 

He  was.  yet  speaking — all  the  parties  standing  grouped,  a*, 
tin-  southern  or  chief  entrance,  of  the  building,  and  paitly  within 
the  ball — usually  called,  in  the.  south,  the  passage,  generally  as, 
in  large  dwelling-houses,  running  through  the  centre  of  the  build 
ing-— when  the  dour  in  the  rear  was  heard  to  creak  upon  its 
binges.  Ornden,  who  at  this  moment  was  within  the  passage, 
though  near  the  southern  entrance  and  the  rest  of  the  group, 
turned  instantly,  and  beheld  a  fouiale  figure  which  had  just  en- 

1      He  could  distinguish  no  features*  since  the  only  light 

within  the  apartment  was  aii'ordi-d  by  an  unsnuiled  candle,  which 
had  been  set  down  by  his  servant  on  the  floor  when  hurrying 
fn.ni  Balfour's  chamber  —  the  light  used  by  the  party  without, 
being  a  common  lantern.  At  (irst,  a  vague  remembrance  of 


iu\<;  TIM-:  A i  \I:M-I;KI.L. 

Balfour's    irli">*    <>f  the    Landgravine    pa— ed    thnniirli    (  rudei. 
1. rain  ;    hut  lui  was  (.fan  intellect  too  stolid   to  sufler  him  l"iii:  to 
remain   under   the  delusion   of  his   fancies.      He  at    once  cor 
tured  that    this  female  must  lie    Katharine  Walton  or   her  aunt  ; 
and,  in  either   case,  he    associated    her   appearance,  at    tliis  honi 
and    under   these   circumstances,  with    the   yet    unaccounted    for 
alarms  of  the  ni^ht.      His  cupidity  promptly  snjr«:e>tcd  that   the 
plate,  which  had  heen  the  ohject  of  his  search  alrea  veil 

now  in  course  of  hiding  or  removal  ;   and,  with   this  conjecture, 
his  decision  was  as   rajrer.  and    his  performance  as  impetuon- 
that  of  the  younj:  lover  hnrryini:  his  virgin  favorite  to  the  altar. 
With  a  hound,  scarcely  consistent  with  the  dignity  of  his  otlicial 
•i    and    t!  \  e    dimensions    of   his    pers..n.    he    darted 

RCrOM  tb  .  and  grappled  the  ^tran^-er  1  y  the  wrist. 

"Ho!    there!    the  li^ht  —  bring  the  light.      lialf'>ur.  1   fancy   1 
have  captured  your  iri, 

(  >i;r  comin'iHsiMiuT  of  c'oiiiiscated  rstatcs  did  not  jierceive  that, 
just    behind    liis    cajitive,  and    ahoiit    to  enter  the  door  at'fer   her 

i'.acchus.      The  «larkne>s    favored    th. 
of  the    ne-ro,    \\lio.   cr<>nchin;:   ijnietly    without,  waited 
njijiortuni:  :   the  hall  unseen. 

••  What   means   this  violence,  Colonel  Crude:.  'lie  calm 

imjuiry  made  l.v  Katharine  Walton,  in  the  m«  I  ;iid  p-n- 

tle    accents.      Meanwhile,    Halfmir   and    our   captain    of 
had  hastened  to  the  jrroup  at  the  summons  (•!'  the  excited  Cruden. 
It  was  with    a  dilVicult    eflort    that    Singleton  c«'idd    snppre-s    his 

tlODB,  and  snhdne  t'  that  prompted  hin 

Commissioner  hv  the  throat  and  punish  h'm  for  the  hrntal  ^ra-p 
\\hich  he  had  set  njion  the  woman  of  his  heart  ;  hut  the  peril  of 
his  Situation  Compelled  his  forhearan  ••!•  nnwili 

stilled  the  passion  working  in  his  soul,  ho\\-ev»M"  viol.-nt.      l>nt  hiri 
hand    more    than  once  wrought    .-is  if   working  with    his 
ami,  with  clenched  teeth,  he  found  himself  compelled  repeatedly 
to  turn  away  from  the  scene  and  pace  the  hall  in  an  exciter 
which  was  scarcely  to  i  .  -ie  Walton  rr; 

ed  her  demand  of  her  BJSail&nt, 
calm,  as  only  to  increase  his  indi.-nation. 

"  What    means    this    vioh  -,      .  :  ?      What    mean! 


gg  RATH  A  KINK    WALTON. 

H,iis  uproar,  tliis  alarm,  madam,  at  tliis  unseasonable  hour  of  tbe 
insist  ?  Why  arc  yon  here,  let  me  ask  yon,  and  habited  as  if 
for  a  journey  \  Look!  it  is  clear  she  has  been  abroad —  her 
bonnet  and  clothes  arc  wet  witli  the  dew.  Answer,  Miss  Wal 
ton —  what  has  carried  you  out  at  this  hour?  Where  have  yon 
,  f  What  have  you  been  doing?  Speak — you  do  not 
answer." 

••  And  if  you  were  to  subject  my  neck,  sir,  to  a  grasp  as  vice- 
like  as  that  which  you  hold  upon  my  wrist,  you  should  receive 
no  answer  from  my  lips,  unless  at  my  perfect  pleasure,"  was  ibe 
reply  of  the  maiden. 

"  Ila  !    do  you  defy  me  {" 

"  1  scuni  you,  sir!  Release,  me,  sir,  if  you  would  not  subject 
your.-elf  to  the  -com  of  all  those,  who  hear  of  this  indignity." 

!e.ton  could  no  longer  avoid  interposition  ;  but  lie  main 
tained  the  character  which  he  had  assumed.  Coming  forward, 
lie  said  — 

"That's  right,  colonel ;  I  don't  see  why  a  woman  shouldn't 
he  made  to  speak  out,  in  war-times,  just  the.  same  as  a  man. 
I've  seen  the  thing  tried  before.  There,  was  a  woman  up  in  our 
parts  that  bid  her  husband  away,  and  Major  Tatem  burnt  a  hole 
in  her  tongue  t<«  make  her  speak.  If  yon  want  help  now,  colo 
nel,  just  you  ...;iy  the  word,  and  I  reckon  that  both  of  us  together 
can  bring  this  young  woman  to  her  senses." 

(  Yuden  turned    fiercely  upon  the   speaker,  as  be  rather  flung 

the  maiden  from  his  grasp  than  released  her.      The  oiler  of  help 

•.eh    a  performance  as   that    in  which  he  was    engaged.  W*/B  a 

^ntlicient    reflection  —  though   apparently  very   innocently  made 

—  upon  the  brutality  of  the  action. 

Mice  \\ill    be   asked  wh"ii  it    is    desired,  sir,"  was 

wet, 

i  >  \  .    .   1   it-ckop  ;    but,  yon  see.  I've  been  a  Rort  of  vohmtei  r 
once    already  to-night,  and    I'm  always  ready  to  help  his  majes- 
>-rs  in  time  of    tronMc." 

id    Pialfour.  with   a  sort    of  severe  courtesy, 
u  are  aware  that  the  circumstances  in  which  you  appear   to 
night  are  exceedingly  sii-]c< 

•  i  ••itainly    sir;    I  am    seen  in  'nil  drr-s   in  my  father's  dwel 


RI.NV,  Tin:  Ai.\KM-r.i:i.i..  '.-1 

lineal    midnight.      Heretof,,'  .-.  -  ':  .   I    liavo    heen    acm^-med    to 
act  my  pleasure  in  tins  house.      I    am  painfully  reminded    t!     •    1 
have  other  ami  less  indul^'iit  masters.      It  mu-t  net  MI 
that  1   am  slow  to  reCOgniM  <>r   understand    n   . 

fa  " 

•'We  are  certainly  in  authority  here.  Mi-.-  Walton;  luit  with 
out  any  ilesire  of  subjecting  YOU  to  aiiY  painful  <>r  per.-onal  re 
straint  or  coercion." 

"  The  honds  ot'your  colleague.  -ir.  are  an  excellent  conm. 

your  forbearance,  I  confess  they  atVonl  n,, 
ideas  of'  the  liherty  \\hich  I  am  to  enjoy  in  futur. 
liaYC  said,  you  are  the  masters  here.  Am  Ipeisnittr.lt" 

••  <  Vrtainly.  Mi--  Walton;    hut   you  will  not    think    me   unrea- 
nonahle,  if.  in  the  mornini:.  I  >lia!l  a-k  yon  for  an  expbmati 
•it  a  ppcarances.      This  -  " 


He    was    interrnpteil    hy    an    e\clamati(.n    from    (  'rnilen 
vant.  at    the  southern  entrance.      All  partie>  turne.l  at  the  i- 

raption. 

"  '1'here  seems    t..    lea-!.',,!    Sre,  Colonel,*'    laid     • 

"  Lo,,k  away  yon-ler  in  the  south." 

Balfour  ntnl  Ciu.len  hastily  juinnl   him.  ami  a  -mih   of  intclli- 

irence  wras  interchanged  between  the  maiden  ami  her  lover.     In 

the    meantime,  Bacchus  seixed    the  opportunity  quietly  to    i, 
liis    way    into    the    hall.      The    party  at    the    em'ra: 

1  helmed  with    /onflictinir    speculations    as    to   the  eontl.  . 
tiou  which  no\v  SMH-.-H!  out  magnificently  hefore  th. 
'•The  won.ls  are  on  tire."  -aid  ('mien. 

N     "  Wai  the  reply  of  Halfour;    "it  i<  a  h..u<e  rath- 
\V    Ir-m,  prav   ohli^e    me  —  can    you   explain    the    nature   of  thin 

Katharine  smiled  playfully. 

"  l  wili  give  y«»n  no  an-wer  to  any  ((iie-t  i,,n...  (  lolonoJ 
to-ni^ht  —  if  only  T  ivself  that  tin1  coercion  mi': 

I  lahor   does  not  extend    to  my  thon-ht<  Of    <pee.-li.      1 
that,  with  aiuither   day,  there  will    he    n«'  ili-.nt    ai^ 

the  evei  '  M!L'ht." 

With  the-e  irorcU, 

w  i    .mly  half  uttered  on  the  lips  ,,f  Hal  four,  w' 


92  K ATM. \KINK    WALTON. 

night  of  Bacchus,  stretching  forward  curiously  in  the  rear  ol  the 

loyalist. 

"  lla  !  fellow,  is  it  you?  You,  at  least,  shall  answer.  Look, 
sirrah  —  what  does  that  fire  mean?" 

"  I  reckon  it's  the  rice-stacks,  master,  that's  a  burning." 

"  The  rice-stacks  !"  exckimed  Crudeu,  in  horror.  "  The  rico- 
stacks!  the  whole  crop  of  rice  —  a  thousand  barrels  or  more! 
What,  malignity  !  And  could  this  young  woman  have  been  guilty 
of  such  a  crime  ?  Has  she,  in  mere  hatred  to  his  majesty's  cans*, 
wantonly  set  tire  to  a  most  valuable  property  of  her  own  ?" 

"  Impossible!"  replied  Balfour.  "There  has  been  an  enemy 
about  us  :  this  was  his  object.  The  alarm  was  a  real  one.  But 
we  must  see  if  .-my thing  can  be  saved,  Captain  Furness,  you 
have  already  given  proof  of  your  zeal  to-night  in  his  maje 
cause.  May  I  heg  your  further  assistance  /  We  will  sound  our 
bugles,  and  call  in  our  squad.  Meanwhile,  let  us  hasten  to  the. 
spot.  The  stacks  are  generally  separate;  while  one  or  more 
burn  we  may  save  the  rest  f 

The  idea  was  an  absurd  one,  and  proved  sufficiently  fruitless. 
The  stacks  were  all  on  fire,  and  in  great  part  consumed  before 
the  parties  reached  the  spot.  The  hands  that  did  the  mischief 
left  little,  to  be  done;  and  Cruden  groaned  in  the  agony  of  his 
spirit,  at  a  loss  of  profits  which  almost  made  him  forgetful  of  the 
missing  plate.  But  day  dawns  while  he  surveys  the  spectacle  ;  and 
the  red  flames,  growing  pale  in  the  thickening  light,  play  now 
onlv  in  fitful  tongues  and  jets  among  the  smouldering  ash< 
the  ripened  grain,  gathered  vainly  from  the  sheaves  of  a  boun 
teous  harvest. 

"  We  mu>t  have  a  thorough  examination  into  this  diabolical 
liii-iiM-ss,"  said  Balfour,  as  he  led  the  rrturni?i£  party  to  the 

dwelling. 


AM.    SORTS    OF    SUKPIM 


U1A1TK1I   X. 
ALL  SORTS  OF   BUBFB1 

WITH  the  return  to  the  dwelling,   IJalfour  and  < 

;reh  into  the  secret-  of  the  household.    which,    a-    \ve    have 
seen,  was  beiruti  with  doubtful  results   during    ih. 

of    wine  proved  satisfactory    to    the    former;    luit  tno 
ii  account,   in   nio-t    respects,   which   the  exploration  yielded, 
greatly    increased    the    ill  humor    of    the    l.-it: 
Jiowhere    visible;    and     certain     report-,     made    liy    the  cap1 
duty    in     respect    to   the    alTairs   of   the    plantation,    tended 
to  increase    the   irravity    of    both    t!i 
anticipate     the     «rr:idunl     de\elopment     of    Hie 
grievance.      i  to   remark,    in    this   place,  that,    \\lnn  <:• 

in.-:    the    stairs    from    the  attic,  where  he   had  -e  into 

•  dilion    of    the    Madeira,  and    pa  —  ini:   tli!"i;-h    Hie   -n  at    pas- 

•rikini:    ]>art    of    ihcir 

labojx    the    pr« ••- ious    ni:_rht.    the    eye    of     I'.alfoiir    f 
the    pictures    upon    the    wall,    or    rather   l«y    the  \  aeant  pan-  U  \\  hich 
appeared     anioiii:     them.      To     Id-     conslernation.    the    ; 
both    tlie    rebel    colonel    and   of    the   Lrho-lly    lanili:ravine.    \\hi«li  lie- 
had    ci|u:ill\     ill  voted    to    the    tlame-.    had     di  fn>m    their 

•'  The  de\ii   '  "     he     •Aelaimcd     to     Crudeii.     |.oiiitiiiLp      to     tli, 

ciency.    "we    mu-t    ha\e    be.  n    overheard    la-t    QJ 
'•  How    sh.nild  it    have  been   nth,  i 

6    <  l,a;ub.  i    b\     the    women,     and 

as    if  you    meant     that     tiny     -hoiiM     h  tbll  With    n 

knowl*  ;>  "iir    purp«.-i     tluy     ha\e     defeated     it.     they     have 

contrived  to  -ec  rete  the  pi«  tui. 


94  K  ATM  A  KINK    WALTON. 

"But  I  will  contrive  to  find  them  !"  was  the  angrily-expressed 
r  Halfour.  "They  shall  not  bailie  me.  Tin1)'  can 

not  have  carried  them  tar.  and  they  shall  burn  still.  Prayers 
shall  not  save  them." 

•  me  counsel  you  first  to  send  oil'  the  women  to  the  city. 
Make  no  stir  till  you  have  got  rid  ol' them." 

i  are  right  ;   hut  I  «-Vill  t:»ke  leave  to  examine  them  first, 
touching  the  events  of  lat 

"  Say  nothing  of  voiir  own  ;  PI  hile  doing  so,"  said  Cm- 

den.  "We  have  probably  uroftdy  taught  them  tjuitc  too  much. 
You  might  have  hurnt  the  por,r;tits  ,,f  the  old  woman  and  the 
rebel,  without  a  word,  hut  for  th  .T  unnecessary  threat  last  night." 

"And  would  1  have  se -n  the  p.»i  (raits,  or  had  any  occasion 
to  speak  of  them,  inn  for  your  co-founded  impatience  to  look 
after  the  silver  {  In  all  probability, the  occasion  and  the  warning 
have  been  seized  for  carry inj:  ihat  away  as  \\ell  as  the  pictures." 

"  1  am  afraid  it  was  gone  hr.ig  before.  Hut  that  idea  of  burn 
ing  the  pictures  might  have  taught  these  malignants  what  to  do 
with  the  rice.  Hut  it  is  too  iate  QOW  for  retort  and  recrimination; 
and  here  conies  the  captain  of  loyalists." 

Furness  came  to  the  loot  of  the  stairs  and  met  them. 

"The  young  lady  tells  me  that    breakfast  is  waiting  for  you, 

gentlemen." 

"The  young  lady?"  exclaimed  Hal  four,  eying  the  partisan 
keenly.  "So,  you  have,  been  talking  with  her,  eh?" 

"  \Vliy  yes,"  replied  the  other,  with  a  manner  of  rare  simpli 
city.  "  I  somehow  began  to  feel  as  if  I  could  eat  a  hit  alter  the, 
run,  and  hurry,  and  confusion  of  the  night  ;  so  1  pushed  into  the 
dining-room,  looking  <>»t  for  the  commissary.  !  met  flu-  yo.ing 
an  then-,  ami  had  a  little  talk  with  her;  and  breakfast  was 
just  then  beginning  To  make  its  appearance." 

"  Wh.it  had  she  to  sa  v  about  this  ail.iir  of  last  night?"  demanded 

••a. 

"  Mighty  little  :  she  seems  rather  shy  to  speak.     Hut  she  don't 
:  there  had  been  any  alarm.      She's  as  cool  as  a  cucum- 

een." 

''aptain   r'urne-,"  grimly  remarked 
a«  the  three  walked  to-ethrr  into  the  bre  m. 


A  i, I,   BOKT9    •  • 

Here  they  found    the  excellent  aunt   and    her  • 
waiting  for  their  uninvited    p;e>t.v      In    the   rij^id  and  CO1  ' 
features  of  the  former,  so  dillerent  from  tlirir  amial-le  expn 
of  tin-    previous  evening,  mii:ht    l>e  traced  the  coe.n'-  r  inflm  • 
produced    UJM.II    her   mind    l»y  what    she   had    heard,  during  theii 

midnight  eonfcranc6,  <>f  tlic  irreverent  Rlltiaona  tn  herself  l>v  thr 

Commandant  nfTharlrstnn.      Hut   the    t'ai-«i  <t    Katliarii  • 
plai  ,  .    .is   if  .sli<>    had    ciijovcd    the   ni"st  peaceful  and  ir  l>r"krn 
it' there  had  Keen  nothing  to  atVect  lier  r 

•  of  mind,  i»r  to  HIIIIDV  her  with  apprehensions  either  of  the 

•  nt  or  the  future.      Indeed,  there  was  a    lnmyaiit    soinctliinj; 
in  her  countenance  and   manner  which  declared    fur  a  feelii 
exhil;.: a'iiin,  if  not  <>i  triumph  prevailing  in  her  bosom.     The 

breakfast-table    exhihited    the    most    anij'le    cheer,    and   all 
^raee  and  neatness  in  the  display.       Tlie  ladio  took  t! 

dutation,  and  the  ^iH-.^ts  immediately  followed  then 

example. 

It  was  the  purj>o>c  of  Halfour  to  lorl.ear  all  M:  .iinoy- 

ance  until  after  the  repast  ;    hut  he  ua*  QOt   j-i-nnitted  ? 
forl»earin^.        !!<•    had    srarri-ly    commenced    eating.    !•• 
t-aptaiu  of  tlie  jruard  reije,i->'«'d  to  see  him  at   the  t-ntra!  • 
cusin^r  himself,  with  V«.IIM«  impatience,  he  went  out  ;  and  returned, 
after  a  hrief  interval,  with  quite  an  inflamed  countenaii* 

"  Mi-s  Walton."  said  he.  M  ai'e   you  awau-  iliat  all  the  i 
of  your  lather  have  disappeared  from  tlir  plantation  ?" 

"  I   liavt-  heard  BO,  BIT/1  «piietly  rej.lied  the  lady. 

"  Il'-ard  s<..  Mi>«.  Walton  '      And  who  could  lia\  ••  ] 
carrv  them  ..fV  without  your  penni.— • 

••  NM  ,,11...   I  thei   hiniM-lt'." 

i  '  .ther  him-Mdi'!       What  !    do  you  know  that   he  Q 

their  depart;; 

"  1  jirr>;nned  so.  sir.       They  \\-uld    hardly  have   p>nc   u:de» 
he  liad  -i 

"  And  whitlier  have  t!:-- 

"Ah.  ii'  i  much  more  than  I  can  an-wer." 

"  And  when  did  th.-y  lea\e  the  phi 

-N.-r  can    I    answer   that,  exactly.      I    have    reason    to    think 
tome  hour**  hefoie  your  arrival." 


90  KAT1IAIMM-;    WALTON. 

"  Vou  knew  ol'inir  coming,  then  /" 

"  Not  a  syllable.  My  lather  may  have  done.  so  ;  and  I  myself 
thought  it  not  improbable." 

44  It  was  in  anticipation  of  our  visit,  then,  I  am  to  understand, 
that  you  have  conveyed  away — your  lather,  I  mean  —  all  the 
moveable  valuaMes  of  your  plantation  and  household;  youi 
negroes,  horses  ;  your  plate,  silver,  and " 

The  maiden  answered  with  a  smile:  — 

••  N.iv,  sir,  hut  your  questions  seem  to  lead  to  odd  suspicions 
•  •!'  the  purpose,  of  your  visit.  How  should  we  suppose,  that  the 
presence  of  his  majesty's  officers  should  he  hurtful  to  such  ]>os- 

Dfl  f" 

••  N<>  evasion,  Miss  Walton,  if  you  please,"  was  the  interruption 
of  ( Yudeii. 

"It  is  not  my  habit,  sir,  to  indulge  in  evasions  of  any  sort. 
I  rather  comment  on  an  inquiry  than  refuse  to  answer  it.  1  note 
it  as  singular  only,  that  his  majesty's  ollicers,  high  in  rank  and 
renowned  in  service,  should  suppose  that  their  simple  approach 
should  naturally  cause  the  riches  of  a  dwelling  to  take  wings 
and  Hy.  In  regard  to  ours,  such  as  they  are — our  plate,  money, 
and  jewels  —  it  gives  me  pleasure  to  inform  you  that  they  disap 
peared  long  hefore  your  presence,  was  expected.  My  father, 
some  time  ago,  adopted  a  very  new  and  unusual  sort  of  alchemy. 
lie  turned  his  gold  and  silver  into  baser  metals  —  into  iron  and 
steel,  out  of  which  lances,  and  bayonets,  and  broadswords,  have 
been  manufactured  ;  and  these  have  been  circulating  among  his 
majesty's  oilieers  and  soldiers  quite,  as  freely,  if  less  gratefully, 
than  if  they  had  been  gold  and  silver." 

"  Well,"  exclaimed  the.  loyalist  captain,  with  a  rare  abrupt- 
,  "if  the  young  woman  doesn't  talk  the  most  dov.nright  re 
bellion,  I  don't  know  what  it  is  she.  means  to  say." 

Balfour  lo«ked  toward  him  with  a  ghastly  smile,  which  had 
in  it  something  of  rebuke.  llOWCVer;  and  the.  risible  muscles  of 
the  fair  Katharine  could  scarcely  be  subdued  as  .-die  listened  to 
the  downright  language,  of  her  lover  ;  and  watched  the  counte 
nance,  expressive  of  the  most  admirable  simplicity  and  astonish 
ment,  with  which  he  accompanied  his  words.  Balfour  resumed  :  — 

"  My  dear  Miss  Walton,  you  are  a  wit.      His  majesty's  olliccra 


Al.l. 

•re indebted  to  \«m.     Hut  tin-  bu 

us  fur  jest,  howe\er  amusing  it  may  seem  to  you.      \Vc 
nmeh  at  stake  for  fun " 

"And  I  have  nothing  at  stake,  sir,  I  sup:  be  ahruptly 

replied*  the  moisture  ^atherin^  in  her  eyes  ;    "a  homo1- 
run  with   a   foreign   soldiery  ;   a   family  torn   asunder,  its  pr 
invaded,  its  slaves  scattered   in  flight,  and  the  head  of  the.  1 
in  exile,  and  threat t>m>d  with  hutcherv.      Oh.  sir.  I  certainty 
more  reason  for  merriment  than  can  In-  tl.i- 

"  I  did  not  mean  that,  my  dear  yonnir  lady.      I  did  n<»t  mean 
to  icive  you  pain.     Hut  yon  must  sec  that  I  am  here  as  the  ; 
of  my  sovereign,  and  sworn   that   nothing  shall   divert    me   IVnni 
my  duties.      I    am   compelled,  however  unwillingly,  to   a>k    v«»u 
those  ijuestions,  as  I  must  report  on  all  the  facts  to  mv  supei 
I  he£  that  yon  will  not  hold  me  accountahle  for  the  simple  pri- 
fc.-mance  of  a  iluty  which  I  dare  not  avoid." 

••  lY'/rred,  sir,  with  vonr  <|ucstion>." 

"  I'll  thank  you,  ma'am,  for  another  cup  of  that  coiieo,"  said 
the  captain  of  loyalists,  pushing  the  cup  over  to  the  stately  aunt. 

"Miss  Walton,  do   you  know  hy  \\hosc   onlers   the  rice 
R-ere.  consumed  last  nii;ht,  and  who  was  the  atrent  in  tin 

"I  ha\t'  reasi'ii  to  Lelieve  that  mv  father  ordered  their  de 
struction.  Of  the  particular  hand  hy  which  the  torch  was  n}»- 
jilied,  I  can  tell  you  nothin/ 

"  Hut  you  know  ?" 

"  No,  sir,  I  do  not." 

"There  were  certain  pictures  removed  from  the  walls  of  tin 
gallery  al.nve  stairs,  during  the  ni«rht  ?" 

"  Which  you  had  sentenced  to  the  llames,  sir?" 

"  You  overheard  u>.  Miss  Walton." 

"  1  did,  and  resolved  that  you  should  hurn  me  as  soon.  /had 
them  removed,  sir.  l'i.r  this,  I  onlv  am  re>p<>MMlde." 

"  V  u  had  ?  Pray.  Miss  Walton,  who  was  your  a^ent  in  thin 
husim 

"  1  answer  you,  sir,  the  more  willingly,  a-  I  r  .'lirve 

that  he  is  now  entirely  ln-ymnl    v«»nr  reach.      E  l'-»l- 

four  —  to  spare  you  the  ne<  I'urther  iixjuirie-.  let  mo  as 

sure   yon   that    the   on1  having   any  rijrht   to  (G 


K  A  !  ii  A  I ,' INK     W  A  I  .TON. 

"ion   iV;ilj,,n's    property    as    has    heen    done,    was    tin1    very 
MI    wild    did    exercise    this    ri^lit.      It    \\  as    l.y    his    act    that 
our   plate   has  disappeared,  our  negroes  and    horses   withdrawn 
from    the  estate,  tlie  rice  iired    in    the  stack,  and  the   pictures  re 
moved." 

"  You  do  not  mean " 

•   Yes,  sir,  I   do  moan  that  Colonel   Walton   himself  had   the 
Iired   last    ni^ht  ;   and  it  was  hy  his  direction,  though  ;it  my 
entreaty,  that  the    portraits  were  removed." 

"  1'mt  he  did  this  through  the  hands  of  others.  Miss  Walton, 
you  were  aliroad  last  ni^ht,  in  the  very  hour  of  confusion  and 
alarm.  I  demand  of  you,  as  you  hope  lor  indulgence  at  the 
hands  of  his  majesty,  to  declare  what  a^ent  of  your  lather  did 
\<>u  see  in  the  execution  of  these  acts." 

"  No  airent,  sir.      I  saw  my  father  himself!      To  him  (he  por- 
livered.and  under  his  eye  were  the  torches  applied 
to  the  rice-stacks." 

1'alloiir  and  Crudcn  hoth  hounded  from  their  seats,  the  former 
nearlv  drawing  the  cloth,  cups,  and  breakfast,  from  the  tahle. 
For  a  moment  lie  regarded  the  features  of  Katharine  Walton 
with  a  glance  of  e<pial  ra<;e  and  astonishment.  She,  too,  had 
MM-II  ;  and  her  eyes  met  those  of  the  commandant  with  a  calm 
smile,  seasoned  with  something  of  triumph  and  exultation.  The 
loyalist  captain,  meanwhile,  continued  his  somewhat  protracted 
occupation  of  draining  his  cofVec-cup.  "One  stupid  moment, 
motionless,  Stood"  th«  British  ollieer.  In  the  next,  Halfoiir  cried 
aloud  — 

"Two  hundred  guineas  for  him  who  takes   the  rebel  alive!" 

With  this  cry,  he  rushed  to  the  door  of  the  house,  where  a 
rant  was  in  waiting.  Katharine  almost  crouched  as  she 
he;»"  i  these  words.  She  preyed  her  hand  spasmodic  all  v  to  her 
heart,  and  an  expres-ion  of  keen  a^-ony  passed  o\-er  her  ! 
It  was  hut  an  instant,  however.  Cruden  had  followed  Halfoiir 
to  the  door,  and  a  sin-Ie  glance  of  intelligence  hetween  the. 
maiden  and  her  lover  served  to  reassure  her.  In  the  next  in- 
Btnnt,  our  partisan  had  joined  Balfour  in  the  conrtyanl. 

••('(.!-!;.  •!."  -aid  he,  "if  you're  jr«»in«j  to  send  or.*  in  jiuvsnit  of 
the  rehel,  I  'in  your  man  as  a  volunteer.  1  'd  like  to  have  the 


ALL    BOW  i«H 

finp'riiiur  of  ;i  couple  of  humlivd  ..ftlir  ical  stun"  I  any- 

tiling  I  know." 

"Captain  Fiiniex-,  you  will  <lo  lnnmr  to  his  niajot y's  SJTVUT. 
I  acccjtt  your  oil'cr." 

In   less   than    twenty  ininntrs.  tlic  wliolo   forc«'   of  thr   Hritish 
at    tlie"()ak>"  wa.-    in    UITII    pursnit  ;    tin-    Minj.osiMl    captain   of 
loyalists   taking   tlu>    lead,  intrustnl  with  a  <jna*t   comnian.: 
pursuing  the  chase  with  an  ea^rni.-ss  which  channed  all  p.. 
equally  with  hin  energy  an.l  zeal. 


IOU  K  Mil. \K1NK    WAI  TO* 


CHAPTER   Xi 

STHANGK    KKLATIONSHIPS. 

THK  purpose  of  Singleton,  in  taking  part  in  the  purtmit  oi 
Colonel  Walton,  may  he  readily  conjectured.  With  his  equal 
knowledge  of  his  uncle's  ohjcets,  and  of  the,  country  through 
which  he  rode,  it  was  easy,  particularly  as  the  legion  was  little 
known  hy  any  of  the  pursuers,  to  shape,  and  direct  the  chase 
unprolitahly.  It  was  maintained  during  the  day,  under  many 
encouraging  auguries,  hut  was  wholly  without  results;  and  the 
party  returned  to  the  "Oaks"  about  midnight  in  a  condition  of 
utter  exhaustion. 

The  captain  of  loyalists  had  Sufficiently  proved  his  zeal,  and 
Halfour  was  pleased  to  hestow  upon  him  the  highest  coiamenda- 
tinns.  They  had  long  conferences  together  in  regard  to  the 
interests  of  the  common  cause,  particularly  with  reference  to  the 
state  of  feeling  in  the.  hack  country,  and  hy  what  processes  the 
spirit  of  lileity  was  to  he  suhdued,  and  that  of  a  hlind  devotion 
to  his  majestv's  cause  was  to  he  inculcated  and  encouraged. 

On  all  these  matters  Singleton  was  ahle  to  speak  with  etji.al 
confidence  and  knowledge.  It  was  fortunate  that  a  previous 
and  very  intimate  acquaintance  with  these  then  remote  regions 
had  supplied  our  partisan  with  an  ahundance  oi' facts,  as  well  in 
regard  to  persons  as  to  places.  He  showed  very  clearly  that  he 
knew  his  sul j'-ets  thoroughly,  and  his  report  was  comparatively 
a  correct  one;  <>nlv  M>  much  varied,  hen-  and  there,  as  more 
and  more,  to  impress  the  commandant  with  the  importance,  of  his 
own  inll-ience,  and  the  necessity  of  giving  it  the  fullest  counte 
nance.  The  particular  purpose  on  which  he  came  was  in  a  fair 


STRANGE    Bl  LATIONSHffS,  1<>1 

tidied.      Hal  four   promised    liiin    all    tin     i 

supplies,  perfectly  delighted  with   liis  /eal,  li'  *      «.f  intelli 

gence,  Imwcvcr  rudely  displayed;  f,,r  SiiiLrh-t.ni,  with  the  aa- 
sumption  of  the  hardy  character  <.{'  the  liaekwooilsmaii,  wa* 
Hpecially  mindful  of  all  those  peculiarities  of  the  character  lie 
had  adopted  which  were  likely  to  arrest  the  attention  ,,f  the 
Briton.  His  letters  to  (leneral  Williamson,  from  certain  well- 
known  leaders  among  the.  mountain-loyalists,  were  all  freelv 
placed  under  Ball'our's  exaniination,  and  the  latter  was  at  length 
pleased  to  say  that  Williamson  would  meet  with  our  partisan  at 
the  "Quarter"  «>r  the  Kight-Mile  House  —  contiguous  phu ••• 

:t  on  the  road  from  Charleston  —  without  the  latter  hein" 
required  t»»  expose  himself  to  the  dangers  of  the  small-pox  in 
that  city;  for  which  the  suppled  loyalist  continued  to  ex; 
the  most  ihtkklering  horror  and  aversion.  The>e  mattei'>  wen- 
all  adjusted  hefore  the  departure  of  the  commandant  for  the 
capital  —  an  event  which  followed  the  next  dav. 

Katharine    Walton,  in    the   meantime,  had   already  taken    her 
departure.  \\';tli  the  excellent  Miss  Harhara  ;    travelling  under  an 

:t  of  a  few  dragoons,  in  the  family  carriage,  drawn  hy  the 
only  bom  value  which  had  heen  left  hv  C«.lonel  \\'al- 

ton,  or    S  ip"U    the    estate.      It  was   ilurinj:   the    jmrsuit 

of  her  father    l.y  her  lover  that    ^he    had    heen   seiit  aw.iv  t"  the 

.  and  though  her  ahsence.  on  his  return,  had  dashed  his 
spirits  with  a  certain  device  of  melancholy,  yet  he  felt  that  it 
was  really  for  the  U«st  ;  since,  to  ha\e  seen  her  under  c<>n>traint. 
and  snhject  to  various  annoyances,  at  the  hands  of  their  common 
enemy,  without  power  to  intei  fere,  was  only  matter  of  perpetn;.! 
mortification  to  himself.  lint  when,  again,  he  reflected  up. MI  the 
sudden,  umli-  admiration  whii-h  Ha! 

-hown    for    her.  a  momentary  chill    sei/ed    upon    hi 
hut,  to  dispel  this,  it  was  only  necessary  to  recall  the  high  qual 
ities,  the  superior  tone,  the   known    r« mi-age    and  «lev.'ti-»n  of  hin 

:i,  and  his  thorough  conviction  of  her  faith  to  himself,  under 
all  privations,  to  n  equanimity  and  make  him  confident 

of  the    future.      He    .^>w    Kilt-Mir    .lej.art    t!:e    next    day  without 
a})])rehension.      (^ruden    remained    tij>..ti    the    plantation.    ha\ 
with  him  a  small  guar.l        I1  ued    hy  hin  nej.heu  .   M 


102  KATH. \IM.\I-:    WALTON'. 

1'roctor,  whose  assistance   lie    needed  in  making  a  necessary  in 
ventory  of  all  the  effects  upon  the  estate. 

Singleton  was,  at  first,  rather  shy  of  the  acquaintance  of  out 
whom  he  knew  to  he  a  rival,  though  an  uiiMiccessful  one;  and 
he  was  not  entirely  assured  that  the  other  had  not  enji.xed  such 
a  siitlieient  view  of  him  on  a  previous  and  memorable  occasion, 
when  they  were  actually  in  conflict,  as  to  recognise  him  through 
all  his  present  disguises.  But  this  douht  disappeared  after  thev 
had  lieen  together  for  a  little  while  ;  and,  once  relieved  from 
this  apprehension,  our  partisan  freely  opened  himself  to  tin- 
advances  of  the  other.  1'roctor  was  of  a  manlv,  frank,  in^enu- 
niis  nature,  not  unlike,  that  of  Singleton,  though  with  less  hnoy- 
aney  <»f  temper,  and  less  ductility  of  mood.  Though  p-ave,  and 
even  gloomy  at  moments,  as  was  natural  to  one  in  his  present 
position  of  partial  disgrace,  the  necessities  of  his  nature,  led  him 
to  seek  the  society  of  a  person  who,  like1  Singleton,  won  quickly 
upon  the  confidence.  The  youn^  men  rode  or  rambled  to 
gether,  and,  in  the  space  of  forty-eight  hours,  they  had  unfolded 
to  their  mutual  study  quite  enough  of  individual  character,  and 
much  of  each  individual  career,  to  feel  the.  tacit  force  of  an  al 
liance  which  found  its  source,  in  a  readily-understood  sympathy. 

Youth  is  the  season  for  irenerons  confidences.  It  is  then  only 
that  the  heart  seeks  for  its  kindred,  as  if  in  a  fust  and  most 
necessary  occupation.  It  was  easy  with  our  partisan  to  develop 
his  proper  nature,  his  moods,  tastes,  and  impulses,  without 
endangering  his  secret,  or  betraying  any  more,  of  his  history 
than  mi^'lit  properly  comport  with  his  situation.  And  this  was 
quite  satisfactory  to  I'roctor.  It  was  enough  for  him  that  lie 
found  a  generous  and  sympathizing  spirit,  who  could  appreciate 
his  own  and  feel  indignant  at  his  humiliations;  and  he  failed  to 
discover  that,  the  revelations  of  Singleton  were,  not  of  a  sort  to 
involve  many  details,  or  exhibit  anything,  indeed,  of  his  outei 
and  real  life.  lie  himself  was  less  cautious.  The  volume  of 
indignation,  lonjr  swelling  in  his  bosom,  and  restrained  by  con 
stant  contact  with  those  only  of  whom  he  had  ju.st  need  to  be 
now  poured  itself  forth  freely  in  expression,  to  the 
relief  of  his  heart,  when  he  found  himself  hi  the,  company 
->ne  whom  he  perceived  to  be  p-nial  as  a  man,  and  whoso 


HTU\ 

aiinitifs.  of  n  political  sort,  it'  tlirv  inclined  him  to  the  HritMi 
racist-,  wt-re  yet  hut  .seldom  productive  nf  any  social  atir 
nrtueen  tin-  parties.  Tin-  j>r<.vinri;ils  had  heen  c|uitc  too  I,..,-. 
.  .suhject  of  mock  to  the  hirelings  ami  agents  of  the  crown,  to 
•expect  them  for  anything  hut  the  power  which  they  represented  ; 
ind  1'roctor,  who  had  lon^  seen  the  error  of  tin-  social  poli< 

MMtmii'Mi,  had  always  heen  anum^  the  frw  who  ha«l  sought 
«juito  as  niucli  to  conciliate  as  ronijr.fr.  Still,  the  conversation 
ot'tlif  two  seemed  studiously  to  t'.rl.ear  the  suhjects  which  \\eic 
ino.st  i.Uerestini:  to  hoth.  They  havered  ahout  their  favorite 
topics,  and  llew  from  tliem  .  iy  as  the  lapwing  from  the 

nest  \\hic-h  the  enemv  apjiears  ti>  seek. 

It  \s.i.-«  at  the  close  of  the  second  day  of  their  communion  that 
the  |Mi.if  was  fairly  started.      The  two   dined  with  Cruden.  and 
during    the    repast,  the    latter    freijiiently    dwtdt    upon     1 
situation  ;    the    rvidfiit    dis])osition  of   Half"nr  to   doti«»y  him.  in 
spite   i,f   the    ti -s   of   interest  which    had    altached    the    unr!- 
liim.'-elf;    and  the  commissioner  Of  confiscated  f>tate>  tinally  h».st 
himself  in  the  bewildering  conjectures   l.y  which  he  ei 
to  account  for  the  antijiathy  of  the  commandant.      Sin-let- 
cour.M1,  \v  as  a  silent  listener  to  all  the  conversation'.       It   u  a>  one 
in  \\hith    he  did   not    feel    himsf  If  juMilietl    in   otVerinj,'  /my  opin 
ions  ;    hut  when  ( 'ruden  ha.l   retired  to  his  MI.^H  —  the  aftern«>»n 
hein^  warm    and  oppressive  —  the  tw<>  y«'un«^  men  .still    lingered 
over  their  wine,  and  the  con\ ci -ati«.n.  treed  from  the  restraining 
pif-rnce    of  one  who    could    command   their   deference,  hut    not 
their  sympathies,  at    once    as-umed    a  character"! 
dom  than  hefore.      'I'heir    hearts  warmed   to  each  other  o\n   the 
^«-i,«  n. u-    Madi'ira  which    had    ripfiifd    for    twenty  years    in    the 
attic  of  "The  (  )aks,"  and  all  that  was   phlegmatic  in  the  nature 
of  prOCtOT  melted  hefore  it>  influence  «uid  the  Denial  tone  of  our 

partisan* 

i    have    heard    my  excellent    un<  le."  he   sa;.!,  as   he  filled 
his  Leaker  ami  passed  tin-  decanter  to  his  companion.     "  He  see* 
and   a\ows   his    conviction   that    Balfoni    i 
me.  not    tlirou^h    anv  demerit-;   of  mine,   hut    ' 
some    secret    C  :  i  «-f  hi-* 

readi)i068  to   Ukc   peril   upon  himself  on   my  he  half,  and  is  pre- 


104  KATHARINE    \V\I.TO.V. 

pared,  I  perceive,  to  yield  me  to  my  fate  —  to  sufler  me  to  lip. 
disgraced  for  ever,  rather  than  break  with  the  selfish  scoundrel 
whose  alliance,  he  finds  profitable,  f  >ne  might  almost  douht, 
from  what  he  daily  sees,  if  there  he  not  some-thing  in  the  ties  of 
kindred  which  makes  most  of  the  parties  confound  them  with 
bonds,  which  the  heart  feels  to  he.  oppressive,  because  they  are 
natural  and  proper.  I  have  found  it  so  always." 

"Your  indignation  prohahly  makes  you  unjust.  C<douel  Cm- 
dcn  evidently  feels  your  situation  seriously.  The  whole  of  his 
conversation  to-day  was  devoted  to  it." 

"Ay:  hut  with  how  many  reproaches  intermingled,  how 
many  douhts  as  to  the  cause  of  oU'enee  which  1  have  given,  lio\v 
many  covert  suspicions;  all  of  which  are.  meant  to  prepare  the 
way  to  my  abandonment  I  see  through  his  policy.  I  know 

him  hetter  than  yon.  He  would,  no  douht,  save  me  and  help 
me,  if  he  could  do  so  without  breaking  with  Balfonr,  or  endan 
goring  his  own  interests;  hut  he  will  t;.ke  no  risks  of  this  or  any 
sort.  His  whole  counsel  goefl  to  persuade  me  to  make  my  sub 
mission  to  Halfour  —  to  follow  his  own  example,  and  surrender 
my  pride,  my  personal  independence,  and  all  that  is  precious  to 
a  noble  nature,  to  a  selfish  necessity,  whose  highest  impulses 
sound  in  pounds,  shillings,  and  pence.  This  I  can  not  and  will 
not  do,  Furncss.  Let  me  perish  first  !" 

"But  how  have  you  lost  the  favor  of  Halfour  ?" 

"I  never  had  it.  I  rose  to  my  pr«isent  rank  in  the  army 
without  his  help.  No  one,  receives  his  succor  without  doing 
base  sen-ice  for  it.  1  have  withheld  this  service,  and  1  presume 
this  is  one  of  the  causes  of  his  antipathy." 

"  Scarcely  :  or  ho  would  not  have,  suffered  you  to  hold  po 
sition  so  long." 

"  There  you  mistake.  As  long  as  Cornwall!*  was  in  Charles 
ton,  or  Clinton,  I  was  secure.  From  the  one  I  received  the 
appointments  and  promotion  which  the  other  confirmed,  lie- 
sides,  Hal  four  needed  .some  pretext  l.efore  he.  could  remove  me, 
and  time  was  necessary  to  mature  this  pretext.  I  am  the  victim 
of  a  conspiracy." 

Proctor  then  proceeded  to  jrjve  a  brief  history  of  his  cnroer 
and  command  in  Dorchester,  and  of  that  rescue  of  Colonel  Wai 


BTRAMii:    1:1  I  \  i  '  In.", 

ton  nt   the    place  of  execution,  of  which    Singleton    knew  much 
more  than  himself. 

"  I'.    •   ;'•  tl  0    pf.-iin  Vau.irhan.  of  whom  you  h;ive  spoker 
Singleton,  "  what    has    prompted    him    to    heroine    the.    ajrent    of 
Halfour  in  this  husii 

u ATo/or  Vaughan !*' retorted  the  otlier,  hitterly.    "II. 

to  my  r;ink  in  the  moment  of  my  downfall.      I  am  :  that 

he  is  simply  the  a«rent  of  Halfour.      I   have  reason  to  think  that 
lie    has   motives  of  hostility   entirely  his   own.      It    mi^ht    ; 
sutlicient   reason   to   suppose  that  to   succeed    to  my  place*  would 
lie  motive  (jiiite  enough    for  a  spirit   at  once    hase  ami  amhit 
Hut,  in   the    case    of  Vau^han.  such    a   conjecture  would    not    !••• 
entirely  satisfactory.      Vau^han  reallv  p..-  araeter.      lie 

hut    without    magnanimity.      His    pride,   which    is 
unrelieved    hy  u'-'iicr.^ity,  wnuhl    ]>erhaps  (lisconraire  a  ha>. 
which    hail    its    root    only   in    hi^-   desires   to    rise.      Though    am- 
hitions  enough,  his  amhition  dues  not  assume  the  char;: 

'"ii,  ami  is  anything  hut  ardent  and  impetuous.      Hate,  per 
haps —  " 

"  Why  should  he  hate  yon  ?" 

"That  is   the   question   that   I  have    \ainly  sought  to   ;t 
Vet   I  have  the  assurance  that  he  ilm-x  hate  me  with  the  most  in- 
fe  1'itterness,  and  there  is  that  in    his  deportment,  during  our 
whole  intercourse,  which  tends  to  confirm  th;s  representation." 

"  I'rom  \vhon:  does  y»ur  knowledge  coine  on  this  sulj< 

-ii  that   I   cannot  answer  yon.      There  is  a  mystery  ahoiit 
it  ;    hut  if  you  will  ur"  with  me  to  my  room,  I  will  show  you  the 
sources  of  my  information.      Fill    your  p 
hottom  of  the  decanter,  and  I  must  drink  no  more.    Hut  if  you  —  " 

Singleton   disclaimecl    any  desire    for  a  protracted    sitting,  and 
the  two  adjourned    to    l'ro(  tor'>    apartment.      Here  he    ; 
from   Ids  tnink  a  packet  of  let!.  .  bfl  drtacl 

couple    of  notes,  delicately    foiled,  and    of   small    f«.rm,   sin  ! 
ladies  chietly  delight  to  frame.      Tlie-e,  accor- 
he  j»Iaee«l  before  the  partisan. 

"The    first    was    reCOlTcd,*1 
w*»  appointed  to  a  post  umh-r  me  at   1  it." 

The  note  was  hrief,  and  ran  thu<  :  — 


106  KATIIAUINB    WALTON. 

"Major    Proctor    will    heware.       In    the    person    of   Captain 
Vailghan    he  will    find   an  enemy  —  a  man  who  hates  him,  ant1 
who  will  seek  or  make  occasion  to  do  him  evil.   l(  .    ,, 
,  May  10." 


"Three  weeks  ago,"  said  Proctor,  "this  followed  it." 
He    himself  read   ihe   second   epistle,  and  then   handed  it  to 
Singleton.      Its  contents  were  these,:  — 

"  Major  Pnu-.tnr  has  heen  heedless  of  himself.  lie  has  had 
the  warning  of  one  who  knew  his  danger.  He  has  nut  regarded 
it.  The.  serpent  has  crept  to  his  hosom.  He  is  prepared  to 
Bting—  perhaps  his  life,  must  certainly  his  honor.  Let  him  still 
he  vigilant,  and  something  may  yet  hi-  dune  for  his  security. 
Hut  the  enemy  has  olitained  foothold;  lie  has  spread  his  snare-  ; 
he  is  1'Usy  in  them  still.  Captain  Vaughan  is  in  secret  corre 
spondence  with  Colonel  Balfour;  and  Major  Proctor  is  helu\  ed 
hy  neither.  Shall  the.  warnings  of  a  true  friend  and  a  devoted 
faith  l>e  Uttered  in  his  ears  in  vain  ?" 

"These  are  in  a  female  hand."  said  Singleton. 

••  Yes  ;  hut  that  dues  not  prove  them  to  he  written  hy  a  fe 
male." 

"  Not  commonly,  I  grant  you;  hut  in  this  instance  I  have  no 
•{iirstion  that  these  notes  were  penned  hy  a  woman.  The  char 
acters  are,  natural,  and  such  as  men  can  not  easily  imitate.  They 
hetray  a  deep  and  loyal  interest.  It  is  evident  that  the  heart 
speaks  here  in  the  letters,  even  U'  not  in  the  language.  That. 
thev  are.  slightlv  disguised,  is  in  proof  only  of  what  I  sav  ;  since 
the  di»gui>e  is  still  a  feminine  one.  Have  y«>u  no  suspicion  /" 

"  Nune." 

"  What  iayi  C(donel  Crnden  ?" 

"Would  I  show  them  to  him?  No  —  no!  He  could  not 
Comprehend  the  feeling  which  would  make  me,  though  I  know 
nothing  of  the  writer,  shrink  and  Mush  to  hear  them  ridiculed." 

Singleton  mused  in  silence  for  a  while.      Proctor  continued; 

'•1  have  no  sort  of  clew  to  the  Writer.  1  can  form  no  conjec 
tures.  I  know  no  handwriting  which  this  resemhles.  I  have 
racked  my  hrain  with  fruitl 


"  Ha\e  yon  no  female  acquaintance  in  tip  •  h"m  they 

rni^lit  have  heen  written  f 

:ie."  answered  the,  major,  somou  hat    hastily.      "  I   f'>rmed 
lew    intimates    in    Charleston.       The    rehel    hulk's    would 
nothing  (.•  say  to  us.  and  tin-  others  did  not  serin  to  me  particu 
larlv  attracti\  c." 

"  Hut  yon  wen-  in  society  /" 

"  Hut  little:   a  few  parties  at    {.mate   hou.-es,  a    pnhlic  l.all  of 
1      ::iwalli>'s,  and    s«'ine    otliers,   in    which    I    walked    ti 
ratlin-  as  a  spectator  than  as  a  «ruest.      1    am  ijnite  too  ear;  • 
man  to  feed  much  at  home  in  mixed  avM-mMa 
Singleton  mused  hef'ore  he  rejoined  — 

"  Von    li.ivc,    I    should    say,  made    im.rr    impression    than    y..u 
think    for.      'l'he-e    jiotes,    I    am    confident.    \\  , 
female.      Sip-  i-  rvidently  warmly  interested    in  \>  -    and 

mCCOm.      >h«-    tfl  aj»]>ai-ently  familiar  with  tlie  Ifour, 

•  •\rn  thov,.   \\hich  arc    mo>t    secret;    and  that   >he  1 
tured    idly,  is    j';<'\ed    l>\   the    correct    result    of   her    >n. 
^  on  ha\e  \eritied  the  truth  of  her  warnings.      Sh. 
as  she  st\  h-s  lierxdi',  a  friend.      The  friendship  of  WOU1C11  n.- 
always   something   more   than    lVirnd>hij>.      11-  !   he 

lon^  to  the  impulses,  rather  than  the  tlmu-lits;   to  the  |n>l'u 
m-( c  ,ther    than    the    tastes    nf   the    individual  :    thnujji 

aie  neCOBMlily  a  part  of  the  influences  which  pi\ern  the 
policy.  In  plain  terms,  I'mctor,  \-i,u  ha\e  made  a  c<>in|iie*-t 
without  knuwiii^  it." 

.lively.      I   can  think  of  no  one." 
That    only    proves   that    the    ladv    ha-    heen    h 
than    yoursidf.  and    that    y«>ur   vanity    has   m-t    Keen    a<  • 
work   \\hilr  you  lounged  thrmi^li  the  fair  a>s«-inhlies  of  the  , 
Hilt  this  aside.       In   tin-   lact>     I     l,a\e    ennmei     ' 
to  he  lound  all  tlie  <de\\s  t->    \'our  m\  stn  i.nis  informant. 

aau  ;    she   has  some  m»  hin^  the 

and  of  fathoming   the  tility  \\  liicli    .-he  e\  i.'mtly  indi 

rates  as  p.-i-"iial  mi    the    jiait    «.f   V.mjii.u!.      \Vi:h    th. 
can  you  make  n->  p 

"None.      1    have    invaria1  'ijmn   the  pre-umpti"n  that 

the  writer  waa  of  the  mast  let,      I    am   t  I 


1"^  K.  \TII.\iII.\l-:    \VA  I/ION. 

should  bo  nighor  to  a  discoyei y  were  I  to  adopt  your  notion  of 
tlic  other.  And  yet,  the  secrets  of  Hal  four  are  iiiuch  more 
likely  to  be  fathomed  l>y  n  woman  than  a  man.  His  character, 
aiming  the  SOX,  you  know;  and  there  arc  some  in  (Miarh'ston 
who  have  considerable  power  over  him.  But,  woman  or  man, 
the  writer  of  those  billets  has  spoken  the  words  of  sober  truth. 
1  have  experienced  the  importance  of  her  warnings,  and  may 
reali/e  the.  fruits  which  she  predicts  and  fears.  The  hate  of 
this  man,  Vaughan,  has  been  long  apparent  to  me.  How  lie 
works  is  the,  problem  which  I  have  yet  to  fathom.  There  is 
one  thing,  however,  which  is  certain,  that  I  now  feel  for  him  as 
fervent  a  hate  as  he  can  possibly  entertain  for  me.  There  are 
some  passages  already  between  us  of  an  open  character,  of 
which  I  can  take  notice;  and,  though  our  acquaintance  i 
recent,  I  know  no  one  upon  whom  I  can  more  properly  rely 
than  yourself  to  bring  about  an  issue  between  us." 

"  A  persona!  one  /" 

"  Surely  !  The  feeding  that  separates  us  once  understood,  1 
am  for  an  open  rupture  and  the  la>t  extreme-.  1  can  not  consent 
daily  to  meet  the  man  who  hates,  and  who  labors  to  destroy  me, 
wearing  a  pacific  aspect,  and  forbearing  the  expression  of  that 
hostility  which  is  all  the.  time  working  in  my  soul.  Colonel 
<1ruden  will  leave  'The  (  )aks'  in  three  days.  I  will  linger  be 
hind  him  ;  and,  if  you  will  bear  my  message  to  Major  Vaughan, 
I  shall  consider  it  one  of  those  acts  of  friendship  to  be  remem 
bered  always." 

"  He  will  scarce-  accept  your  challenge  now.  His  duties  will 
justify  him  in  denying  you." 

"  I'rrhnps;  but  for  a  season  (tidy.  At  all  events,  I  shall  have 
relieved  my  hreast  of  that  which  oppresses  it.  1  shall  have 
declared  my  scorn  and  hate  of  my  enemy.  I  shall  have  filing 
in  his  teeth  my  gauntlet  of  defiance,  and  declared  the  only  terms 
which  can  in  future  exist  between  us.  You  will  bear  my  moe- 
sage,  Furness  ?" 

"  My  deai  Proctor,  I  am  but  a  provincial  captain  of  loyalists, 
one  whom  your  regular  soldiery  are  but  too  apt  to  despise.  Will 
it  not  somewhat  hurt  your  cause  to  employ  me  as  your  friend  in 


\TI<  »\S||  I  I'S. 

a  matter?      Were,  it    not.  i  -  friend  aiming 

your  own  country  men  in  the  p-irr- 

\rhumed    the   yonni; 

man,  warmly  and  mournfully.     "1    have   no   friend    in  the 
rison.    It  IB  filled  with  the  :  .hour,  or  the  tools  of  oti 

and  scarcely  one  of  them  would  venture,  in  the  fear  of  the  • 
nmndant's   future   hostility,  to  hear  my  nies>a^e  to   his  creature 
I  am   alone  !      You  see,  my  own   kinsman   prepares  to   abandon 
m\   cau.M-  at  the  first  decent  opportunity.      !><>   not    //,///  abandon 
m<>.      I  have  l.een  won  to  you  as    I    have  been  won   to   few  men 
whom  1  have  ever  met.      1    have  opened  to  you   the  full  sc 
of  my  heart.      Say  to  me,  Kurness.  that  you  will  do  me  thi- 
ricA,      Let  me  not  think  that  1  can  not.  on  the  whi.h-  i 

•  -d's  earth,  summon  one  generous  spirit  to  mv  succor  in   this 
hour  of  mv  extremity." 

"1  will    he  your   friend,   I'mctor;    I   will    stand    by  you    in   the 
•truggle,    and    see    you    through    this    difficulty/1  was    tiie    warm 
efniMo:i  ,,f  Sii.-let..n  a*  he  --ra.-ped    the    hand  of  his  eomp.r 
'•  I    take    for   granted    that  Vnii^han    can:  vmi  w  IL. 

command   at   1  )orche>ter  ;    hut  1  concur  with   you   that    tin 
man!  |i  to  h-t  him  understand  at  once  the  t< 

and  ohtaiu  from  him  a  j»led^»-  to  ^ive  you   n-'tire  \\  he; 
he  >hall  he  at  liU-rty  to  afford  you   redress.      1  will    ride  over   to 
l)oreiie>!er  t"-inerrow." 

"  Hen  '>    my  hand,  Furness  ;    1  have  no  spoken    thanks.      But 
you  have  lessened  wondrously  the  s»-n<e  of  isolation  h. 
heart.        I    shall    h-ve   you    tor    this  warmth    and    willinurne»    f..r 
r\er;"    ;iml  he  wrun^  the  hand  which  he  grasped  with  | 
:  ronvul 

lie  mijrht  well  do  so.      H,-  little  knew  tlie  extent    of  tl 

.on  which  had  been  made  him  ;    how  manv  "Id  and  not  (juito 
dead  and    buried  jealousies    had    to    le    -   . 
various   invo!  .  :!ie  pliancy  of  the    un> 

partihan  ni'-l  '  the  COUnt  Ma-l  ! 

But   he  had  no  si;  .ml   he  n< 

of  mood  that  seemed  to  make  him  forgetful  of 

"We  must  have   a   bumper  tn^ether. 
you?     Come!     To  the  ball.  OIK  e  m'U'i1;    an  1  then,  if  \  >  .,  please. 


110 


KATHAIUM-:    WALTON. 


for  a  ranter.  There  are  some  lively  drives  in  tins  ,.,,,, 

among  these  glorious  old  oaks,  which  I  fear  I  shall  seldom  take 
•••gain  with  the  feelings  and  the  hopes  which  possessed  me  ..lire 
You  saw  MiVs  Walton  yesterday  {" 

The  question  was  put  abruptly.  The  hloo,l  suddenly  flush, .1 
tin-  face  of  the  partisan;  but  ho.  answered  promptly  and  in 
nocently — 

"  Oh  yes;    I  saw  her." 

"A  most  noble  creature!  Ah,  Furness,  th.,t  is  a  woman 
whom  a  man  might  love  and  feel  his  dignity  mnoblod  rather 
than  depressed;  and  it  should  l.e  properly  me  nature  of  tlu> 

marriage  tie  always  to  produce  such  eil'ects  Outcome!  she- 
is  not  for  us,  I  fear,  my  dear  fellow." 

8in-leton  did  not  venture  to  answer;  l.uf  ho,  could  not  quit* 
suppress  the  smile  which  would  -learn  out  in  his  eyes  and  rpiivor 
on  his  lips,  faintly,  like  an  eveniu-  suuheam  on  the  leaves.  It 
:>ed  the  observation  .,f  his  companion,  who,  putting  his  arm 
.•iffectiouately  throu-h  that  of  his  iH'wly-fuund  friend,  hurried 
him  hack  to  the  dining-room.  They  did  not  resume  their  se;,: 
the  table  ;  hut  filled  their  glasses  at  the  sideboard,  ami  were  just 
about  to  drink,  when  the  trampling  of  a  hors.-'s  feet  was  heard 
suddenly  at  the  entrance.  The,  door  was  opened  a  moment 
after,  and  who  should  appear  before  them  but  the  identical  Ma 
jor  Vau-han  who  had  so  greatly  formed  the  Hnbject  of  th»-ii 
r«C"tst  deliberations. 


THK    i.,  11  I 


CH  A  I'TKK    XII. 

•I  UK     UI.AI»K>    CROSS. 

THK    parties   did    not    readily   distinguish    each    other.       Tin 
window  Minds    had    heen    drawn,  to  .'-hut  out    the  ;' 
the    evening   sun,   and    tin-    room    was   in    that    partial    dark 
winch  rendered  ohjeets  douhti'ul  except   1  It 

WRS  was  only  when  Vau-han    had   advanced    into   the 
the   room,    and    within   a   few    steps   of  tin-    spot  \\ 

:,  his   p'la»    still    raised    in    his   hand,  hut  drained   of  its  c<'ii- 
tents,  that  the-  latter  perceived    his  enemy.      To  flin^  t: 
down    upon    the    Mdehoard,  and    raj. idly  t< 

•lie  work  of  an  instant.      His  m«\ 

<[uitc  too  (juick  to  sull'er  Singleton  to  interjio.se  ;    and,  i. 
yt-t  discovered  who  tin-        I  was.  lie  did   not  in  the 

the  nioveii-.cnt.s    or  Mi^prrt    the    feelii,. 
companion.      Nm-  was  he  aware,  until  this  moment,  th.v 
tieira  wlilch   I'roi-tin-  had  drunk  was   rather   more  than    Ills    hi  am 
could  well  endure. 

In    those  days,  every  man    claiming   the    respect  of  h^ 

for  e\en  an  ordinary  amount  of  mat  :  '•    to 

he  e.j'ial  to  almost  an\  '.\\  drinking.      Our  ;. 

had,   perhaps,    really    indulged    to    i...    *l  •      Mid   the    : 

moderate  practice  of  pre>ent    t::  n,  in    fact, 

clear-headed  and  as  C.H  1  at    this  moment  f  hib 

life.      He  had  drunk  hut  little;    and  though   Troctor  mi^ht 
^tine   somewhat    heyond    him,  the  <juantity  taken  hy  h«-th  w-mld 
j»rohMlil)    not  have  ainioved  aii\"  veteran.      K'.' 
of  those  i-nly  fall 

feet!  .ijijiarently,  at   one    moment,  Mid    i'»    ' 


1  12  KATHAK1XI-;    WALTON'. 

will  show  themselves  onnianageable.  Not  kuowing  this,  and 
not  suspecting  the  character  of  the  new-comer,  Singleton  beheld 
the  sudden  movement  of  his  companion  without  the  slightest  ap 
prehension  of  the  consequences,  lie  was  not  left  long  in  douht 
upon  either  subject.  In  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  Proctor  had 
confronted  his  enemy.  Their  persons  were  almost  in  contact  — 
Yaughan  drawing  himself  up  -juietly,  hut  not  recoiling,  as  Proc 
tor  approached  him.  The  salutation  of  the  latter,  as  well  as  bin 
action,  was  of  a  sort  to  warn  him  of  the  open  hostility  which  wan 
henceforth  to  exist  between  them. 

"You  are  come,  sir!  Oh!  you  are  welcome!  You  come  at 
the  right  moment  !  "We  have  just  been  talking  of  you." 

"  I  am  honored,  sir,"  was  the  cold  response. 

"Never  a  truer  word  from  a  false  tongue  /"  was  the  savage 
reply. 

"False!"  exclaimed  Yaughan;  "  false,  sir  !" 
•"  Ay,  ay,  sir  ;  i'alse  —  false  !  1  have  said  it,  Captain  Yaughan 
—  pardon  me,  Major  Yaughan.  It  \\ere  scarcely  fair  to  deny 
you  the  price  of  your  treachery.  Judas  d'ul  receive  his  thirty 
pieces  of  silver  ;  and  you  have,  your  promotion  and  the  post  of 
Dorchester.  Major  Yaughan,  you  are  a  scoundrel  !" 

Yaughan  grew  black  in  the  face,  and  clapped  his  hand  upon 
his  sword.  l»y  this  time,  Singleton  interposed. 

"You  are  drunk,"  said  Yaughan,  very  coolly,  releasing  the 
weapon  from  his  grasp. 

"Drunk!"   was  the  furious  response  of  Proctor;   and   the  ut- 
rl  efforts  of  Singleton  d-iiid  scarcely  keep  him,  though  totally 
unarmed,  from  taking  his  enemy  by  the  throat. 

"  Drunk  !  Jly  heavens,  you  shall  answer  for  this  among  your 
other  offences  !" 

"  I  am  ready  to  do  so  at  the  proper  season,"  said  the.  other; 
"but  it  will  be  for  me.  to  determine  when  that  season  shall  be. 
At  present,  1  am  on  a  duty  which  forbids  that  I  prefer  my  per 
sonal  a  flair  to  that  of  my  sovereign.  I  would  see  Colonel  Cru- 
den." 

"  llow  many  scoundrels  shelter  themselves  from  danger  by 
that  plea  of  duty!  Y«>u  come  to  ,-ee  Colonel  Cruden  !  Yon 
shall  nee  him,  most  dutiful  subject  of  i  most  generous  sovereign  • 


Til!  11". 

t>ut  V'.ii  -hall  fir<t  sec  ino.  You  know  inc.  Major  YaiiL'hau  ;  \  »\i 
know  that  I  am  not  one  to  IK-  put  oft1  in  tin-  just  pursuit  of  n>\ 
redi.  JTOa  deny,  HI1,  that  you  ha\e  wronged  me —  tliat 

you  liavc  defamed   me  to  our  superior- —  tliat  you  have  -enetly 
lied  away  my  fame  ?     Speak  !     I  )«>  you  deny  tliese  thin. 
if  vou  deny  not,  are  you  prepared  to  at<>' 

"  I  have  no  answer  for  you,  sir       You   are   not   in  a  condition 
to  merit  or  to  understand  an  answer." 

Singleton  interposed. 

"That  mn>i  IT  trm*.  Major  Vaujrlian.      My  friend  Major  1'ror- 

tor  has  sutVered  his  indignation  to  jret    the  Letter  of  his  caution  ; 

hut    I    believe    that    1    nm  calm,  sir ;   and,  as   lie    has  confided  to 

nil,  the  cause  of  hi*  complaint  against  you.  let  me 

entreat  you  to  a  moment's  private  confcicncc  with  me.      I'ldct.-r, 

re  us  for  a  little,  while.      (Jo  to  your  chamher.       I   will  .-«•<•  to 

tliis  hu.-iness.      Leave  it  in  my  hands." 

ii    glance   at    his   enemy.   Proctor,  after   a    : 

ment's  hc-itation,  prepared  to  nhcy  the  Miirirestion  of  his  tViend  ; 
and  had  already  half  cros.-ed  the  apartment  in  the  direction  of 
his  chaml  -r,  when  the  reply  of  Vanjrhan  to  Singleton  recalled 

him. 

"  And  pray,  sir,  who  are  you  ?"    was  the  inquiry  «•!  | 
olh'cer,  in  tones  of  the  co.drst  insole; 

'••ton  felt  the  sudden  flush  upon    hi-  face  ;    hut  l.e  had  his 
faculties  under  rare  command. 

"  I  an.  006,  <ir,  quite  too  ol^eure   to    hope  that    my  nai: 
e\er  reached  the  ear.s  of  Major  Van^han  ;    hut  in  the  :•. 
ot!:(>r  distinction-,  permit    i.  •  that    my  claims    t 

tention  are  founded  upon  an  honoralde,  though  ol»cure  pn-itiiui, 
and  a  t(»lcra!.le  appreciation  of  what  heh  •  I 

am  known,  sir.  as  Captain  Kurness.  of  the  h-y 

"  It  iMiethiny    new  that    a  1'ritisi  -lniuM 

seek    his  fr  -nd    in    a    pn,\  incial.      It  would  seem    ' 
thin^  in  his  ,>wn  po>;ti,,n  wliirli  den'ed  him  a  p 
his  own  rank  and  order.      Hut  you  \\-\\  « 

the  l..y;di-!-.  if   I   r.-fu-e  to  ! 

capa<:ty.      I   need  not  inform  a  ^'ent '  •••  much  expei 

as  VouiS«df  that,  charged   ;,s    |    ;:;n   \\';th    the  duties  of  the  post  of 


114  KATHAK'LNK    \V.\l.To\. 

Dorchester,  I  cannot  s<>  far  forget  mvself  as  to  suffer  my  pvr 
Konal  aflairs  t<»  take  tin-  place  of  tlm.si-  of  my  sovereign.  "\Vlu*J 
1  may  do  or  undertake  liere.-sl'ier,  how  far  1  may  lie  persuaded 
to  listen  to  the  demands  of  Major  Proctor,  made  in  a  diilerent 
manner  and  under  other  circumstances,  mu>t  he  lelt  to  my  own 
decision.  For  the  present,  sir,  I  must  decline  your  civilities  aa 
well  as  his.  Suffer  me  to  leave  you,  if  you  please." 

The  whole  manner  of  Vaaghau  was  InstipportJibiy  offensive 
to  say  nothing  of  his  language,  which  indirectly  reflected  upon 
the  provincial  character  in  a  way  to  render  Singleton  alim^t  as 
angry  as  1'roctor.  He  inwardly  ivsolvrd  that  the  insolent  Brit- 
ou  should  answer  to  himself  hereafter  ;  hut  with  a  strong  will  he 
restrained  any  ebullition  of  feeling,  and  put  upon  his  temper  a 
curh  as  severe  as  that  with  which  Yaughan  evidently  subdued 
his  own.  lir  felt  that,  dealing  with  one  who  was  clearly  quite 
as  dextrous  as  cool,  nothing  but  the  exercise,  of  all  his  phlegm 
could  possibly  prevent  the  enemy  from  increasing  the,  advantage 
which  the  wild  passions  of  I'roctor  had  already  afforded  him. 
His  reply,  ••uvoidingly,  was  carefully  measured  to  contain  just 
as  much  b  Merness  and  sting  as  was  consistent  with  the  utmost 
deliberate  "->s  and  calm  of  mood. 

"  Wen-  you  a.^  solicitous,  Major  Vaughan,  to  forbear  offence 
as  you  e\;ilently  are  to  avoid  responsibility,  I  might  give  you 
credit  !<•-  a  degree  of  Christian  charity  which  one  scarcely  con 
cedes  !•  H  British  soldier." 

"  Si' i" 

"fvrJ&JT  me  to  proceed.  In  a  flairs  of  honor,  if  I  sufficiently 
unoVfsfinid  the  rules  which  regulate  them,  it  is  a  new  ground  of 
objection  \\hic-h  ui'ges  a  prOVincisJ  birthplace  as  an  argument 
against  the.  employment  of  a  friend.  The  truly  brave  man, 
anxious  to  do  justice  and  accord  the.  desired  redrr-s,  mak< 
few  objections  as  possible  to  the  mere  auxiliaries  in  the  combat. 
"What  you  have  said  sneeringlv  in  regard  to  our  poor  provincials, 
was  either  said  by  wav  ot' excusing  \  oursrlf  'from  the  combat  on 
tlie  score  of  something  disparaging  in  the  relation  between  my 
principal  and  myself,  or " 

•'  Uy  no  means,"  replied  the  other,  ijuiekly.  "  I  am  cort;u'nly 
willing  to  admit  that  a  principal  may  emjiloy  whom  he  pleases 


TH  }•'.    HI,  A  i>I.S    <  'U<  >-v>.  1  1 . ) 

§0    tli:it    lie    be   one    to   whom   tin1    social    woild    makes    n«.    ob 
jection." 

"  ( )n  mic  point  you  have  relieved  me,"  replied  Singleton  tjuiet- 
ly  ;  "but  there  is  another.  I  was  about  t"  UJ  thai  your  lan 
guage,  ill  reference,  to  tlu*  employment  of  a  provincial  as  his  friend 

by  my  principal,  was  either  meant  to  evade  tin-  c'»nllict " 

"••Which  I  deny." 

"  Or  was  designed  as  a  gratuitous  farcasm  upon  tin-  da>*  «>f 
to  whom  I  have  the  honor  t«»  belong." 

^han  was  evidently  annoyed.     Singleton's  c»»\,  deliberate 

B  of  speaking  was  itself  an  annoyance  ;  and  the  h«iriis  <>f  tin* 
tliletiiina,  one  of  which  he  had  evaded  without  anticipating  the 
other,  left  him  without  an  alternative.  Proctor, meanwhile* had 

liuii£  about  the  parties,  occasionally  muttering  sonu  .-..in- 

mentary  ujnm  the  dialogue;    but,  with  a  returning  consci.»u- 
of  jiropriety,  M'ithout   seeking   to   take    any  part    in    it.      \Vh-n, 
however,  tin-  conversation    had    reached    the  point    to  which  Sin- 
Urleton  had  brought  it,  he  could  not  forbear  the  remark  — 

•'  Something  of  a  dilemma,  I  should  think  —  the  hums  equally 
sharp,  and  the  space  between  (|u:te  too  narrow  for  the  • 
a  very  «:reat    in.in.       A   poor  devil    might    sc|i:ee/e   through,  and 
iy  note  the.  manner  of  his  escape;    but  for  your  swollen  dig 
nitaries,  your  people  who  read   I'lutarch,  and,  ambitious  like  the 
§on  of  Aiiiinon.  refu-e   the  contest   unless   kiiiLrs    are    to   be  com- 
petitors,  escape  from  such  horns  is  next  to  impos.vible,  ' 
a  Hudden  shrinking    of   the    mushroom   dignities.      I'm  ne»,  u  by 
\\  ere  you  born  a  buckskin  ?" 

Tin-  tierce   dark    eyes   of  Vaughan,  now  hingularly  contract.-.! 
l>v  the  cios'ng  of  the  1-rows  above,  were  turned   slowly  and  vin 
dictively  upon    the    speaker,   the    change    in  *hoM    pn-e.-r-lingM 
tone,  and    manner,  bad    been    singularly  great    in    the  sj 
few  minutes.      It  •  .1  as  if  Proctor,  now  CO1 

ing  blundered   by  his  previous  loMOf  temper,  had  lute 

etVort,  sulidued  bis  passinn  into  scnrn.  and  substitut. 
violence.      At   all  evenly,  the   chang.-  "g  to 

Singleton  than  to  Vaughan.  MOW  glanced   lp>i:i 

to  the  other  of  the.  parties,  with  something  of  the  expression  of 
the  wild  boar  about  to  be  brought  to  baj.     But  he  never  lo* 


116  K  AT  11 A  RINK    WALTON. 

his  composure.  Indeed,  he  felt  that  it  \\as  his  only  security.  Yet 
his  annoyance  was  nut  the  less  at  the  predicament  to  which  Sin 
gleton  had  reduced  him  by  his  brief  but  sullicient  examination 
of  his  language.  Jt  would  have  been  the  shortest  way  to  have 
boldly  defied  his  new  assailant,  to  have  continued  to  deal  in  the 
language  of  scorn  and  sarcasm,  and  shelter  himself  under  the 
habitual  estimate  which  the  British  made  of  the  native  loyalists; 
but  there  were  several  reasons  why  he  should  not  venture  on 
this  course.  To  deal  in  the  language  of  violence  and  defiance, 
while  pleading  duty  against  the  dangerous  issues  which  it  in 
volved,  was  too  manifest  an  inconsistency  ;  and,  at  *his  juncture, 
tutored  by  frequent  a-ml  severe  experience,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
necessities  of  the  British  cause,  the  positive  instructions  of  the 
royal  commanders  everywhere  were  to  conciliate,  by  all  possible 
means,  the  sympathies  and  affections  of  sucn  of  the  natives  as 
had  shown,  or  were  likely  to  show,  their  loyalty.  Vaughaii  felt 
the  difficulties  of  his  situation,  which  his  pride  of  stomach  neces 
sarily  increased,  lie  found  it  easier  to  evade  than  to  answer 
the  supposed  loyalist. 

"1  see,  sir,  that  your  object  is  to  force  a  quarrel  upon  me,  at 
ihe  very  moment  when  I  tell  you  that  the,  service  of  his  majesty 
denies  that  I  shall  answer  your  demands." 

"  Did  I  not  tell  you  what  an  unprincipled  knave  it  was]''  sai'd 
Proctor. 

"You  are  scarcely  ingenuous,  Major  Vaughan,"  was  the.  reply 
of  Singleton  ;  "and  I  forbear  now  what  I  should  say,  and  what 
J  will  take  occasion  to  say  hereafter,  in  regard  to  the  respon 
sibilities  which  you  plead.  My  turn  account  with  you  must  be 
left  to  future  adjustment ;  but,  in  this  affair  of  my  friend,  you 
can,  at  all  events,  leave  us  to  hope  that  you  will  seek  an  early 
period  to  give  him  the  interview  which  you  now  deny.  We  ac 
cept  your  plea  of  present  duty.  We  are  willing  to  acknowledge 
its  force;  and  all  that  we  now  ask  is  that  you  give  us  your 
pledge  to  answer  to  his  requisition  at  the  earliest  possible  mo 
ment." 

"  I  will  not  be  bullied,  sir,  into  any  promises,"  was  the  brutal 
yet  deliberate  reply. 

"Bullied,  sir!"  exclaimed  Singleton. 


THK    BLJ  .038.  HI 

"Ay,  sir;    I  >a%    !, -allied!      I  am  here  set  upon  l,y  two  of  JO* 
when  I  have  no  friend  present,  and  at  a  iu..nicnt  which  limi 
unprepared;    and  will   not  ;    into  ph-d-es  which  it  may 

''«'  ;l  1;l1,-  BOB  <>f  my  dignity  and  character  to  keep 

.      Were  I  to  consent  to  surh  a  requisition  as  your  principal 
makes,  I    should    he  oidy  afi'unliiig   him    an   opportunitv  of  hol- 
'::£  up,  at    my  expense,  a  reputation  whirh   is  Kaiedj  siu-h, 
at  this  moment,  as  to  deserve  my  attention.      It  will  he " 

"  Do  you  hear  tin-  scoundrel  !"  was  the  furious  interposition  «,f 
1'roctor.  "'I'lu-re  is  hut  one  way,  Furm-ss,  with  a  knave  like 
this!  Coward  !"  he  cried,  sj.rin--in^  uju.u  the  other  as  he  >j.oke, 
"if  your  s\\«>nl  will  not  jtrotect  your  j.luinago,  the  suhject  <.f  mv 
rejiutation  i>  ,,ut  of  jdace  UJH,H  y«,ur  li] 

With  the-e  uords,  with  a  sin-le  movi'inent,  he  t.>ie  the  ej.aulet 
from  the  shoulder.s  of  his  enemy.  In  an  instant  the  weapon  of 
Vau^han  flashed  in  the,  air,  and,  aluu^t  in  the  .same  moment, 
I'roctor  toic  down  his  own  sword,  which,  with  that  of  Singleton, 
!ian-in^  upon  the  wall.  The  hlades  cro>sOd  with  the  rapid- 
ity  of  lightning,  and,  bel'ore  our  partisan  c-ould  interfere,  th  . 
Vaughan  had  drawn  hlood  from  the  arm  of  his  opponent.  (Joaded 
as  he  had  l.een,  the  commander  of  the  po.st  at  I  >orche>!er  waa 
still  much  the  cooler  of  the.  comhatants.  His  co<.lnr5>  \\  a.s  i-..u 
Htitntional,  and  ^ave  him  a  decided  advantage  over  his  more  im 
petuous  assailant. 

Hut  they  were  not  permitted  to  finish  as  they  had  he^un.  In 
another  moment,  C'olomd  Cruden  rushed  into  the  apartment,  still 
enveloped  in  his  drearing-gOWn,  hut  with  his  drawn  sword  in  hit 
hand.  In  the  same  inMant,  having  possessed  hiinsclt  of  hi>  own 
weapon,  Singleton  heat  down  tho>,.  of  the  comhatants,  and 
parsed  hetween  them  with  the  action  and  attitude  of  a  maMcr. 

"  How  now  !"   cried  (Jnuh-n,  "would  you  hutcher  an  otli 
his   majesty  in  my   very  presence  (      Two  of  you   upon  a  siugle 
man  !" 

"  You  WC  '"    sai.l  Vau^han,  with  hitter  emj.haais. 

"You  have  lied!"  was  the  instant,  hut  (juietly  Htern  whisper 
of  Singleton  in  his  ears.  The  other  started  slightly,  and  h'm 
lips  weu-  closely  c  .mpre.x>ed  together. 

"  You  show  you:  r  ;   "we 


118  KATHAKIM:  WALTON. 

were  engaged  in  the  prettiest  //f/.v.v,/-/////y/w.  1  was  teaching  oin 
young  friend  here,  the  new  major  in  command  at  Dorchester,  a 
new  stoccdta,  which  is  particularly  important,  by  way  of  finish 
to  his  other  accomplishments.  You  will  admit  that  one  so  ex 
pert  in  stabbing  with  tongue  and  pen  ought  not  to  be  wanting  in 
the  nobler  weapon  whose  use  may  at  least  atone  for  the  abuse 
of  his  other  instruments." 

"I  will  admit,  nothing!  You  an'  a  rash  young  man,  head 
strong,  and  bent  on  your  own  ruin.  I  would  have  saved  you  in 
spite  of  yourself.  Hut  this  conduct  is  too  out  rage*  MIS.  Thifc 
assault  upan  my  guest,  and  a  royal  oilicer  in  the  prosecution  of 
his  duties,  cannot  be  passed  over.  1  abandon  you  to  your  fate!" 

"  Said  1  not,  Furness  I  The  very  words  !  1  saw  it  all. 
Nevertheless,  my  uncle,  you  owe  me  thanks  for  so  soon  aflbrd- 
ing  you  an  opportunity  of  satisfying  yoiw  desire,  and  accom 
plishing  your  purpose." 

"  What  purpose  ?" 

"That  of  abandoning  me  to  my  fate." 

"  Go  to  !  You  are  mad.  Captain  Furness,  u  ny  do  I  see  you 
MI  this  quarrel  ?" 

"You  do  not  see  me  in  this  quarrel.  (Lionel  Oruden,  except 
as  a  mediator.  My  sword  was  only  drawn  to  beat  down  their 
opposing  weapons;  though  MajorVaugban.it  seems,  counselled 
perhaps  only  by  his  apprehensions,  would  make  it  appear  that  it 
was  drawn  against  him." 

Vaughan  contented  himself  with  giving  Singleton  a  single  look, 
in  which  malignity  contended  on  equal  terms  with  scorn  and  in- 
ditl'erencc.  But  the  latter  feelings  were  rather  expressed  than 
felt.  The  young  men  knew  each  other  as  enemies. 

"  Let  me  hear  no  more  of  this  matter,  gentlemen.  As  for  you, 
•  John"  —  to  Proctor  —  "this  last  outrage  compels  me  to  tell  yon 
that  I  will  countenance  you  in  none  of  your  •  Do  not 

look  for  my  support  or  protection.  That  you  should  have  broken 
through  all  restraints  of  reason,  at  the  verv  moment,  when  yoni 
friei:ds  were  most  anxiouslv  revolving  iu  what  mode  to  .save  you 
from  former  errors,  is  most  shameful  and  astonishing.  I  give 
von  up.  There  is  no  saving  one  who  is  bent  on  destroying  him 
self." 


THE    BLADKS  119 

"Nay,  nncle,  do  not   sacrii'  If  in   my  hrhalf.      I  well 

know  h"\v  ready  y..u    have    heen    to    do    so  on    .-ill    pre\  ion- 
cations.       Make    no   further   sacrifice,  I    pray   yon.       Ami    ; 
entreat    my  friends   not    to    sutler  their   anxieties   to  make  them 
pale  on  my  account.      I  would   not    have   them   lo>e   an   hour  of 
sleep,  however  much    I    sufler.      See  to  it,  uncle  :   will   yon?      I 
mn  more  concerned  in  respect  to  yourself  than  any  of  the  rest." 
•ae  with   me,  Major  Van^han.     These    vounjj    men    have 
I. ecu  drinking.      Let  that  he  their  excr 

The  two  left  the  room  together. 

14  Friends]     Oh,  friends  !— excellent  friends!     Ha!   ha  !  ha  !" 

The  excited  mood  of  lYortor  spoke  out  in  the  bitterest  mnrk- 
erv.  Sinirlet«m  rememhered  what  he  had  said  l«ef"rr  on  the 
subject  of  his  uncle's  selfishness  and  his  own  isolation.  He 
understood  nil  the  secret  anguish  that  was  ]irevinir  OH  a  gi 

nature  in  a  false    position,  and    denied    all    jnst    sympathies. 
He  felt   too  warmly   for   the    suilerer    not    to  for-i\e    the  ras! 
to  which  his  secret  snllerin^s  had  goaded  him. 

"  I'roctor,  yon  hleed." 

"Do   I  1      Where?" 

"  In  your  arm." 

"  I-  it   possible   1   was  hit?      I   never  felt  it." 

"  You  would  scarcely  have  felt  if  had  the  sword  pour  t1 
jour  heart." 

11  I  almost  wish  it  had,  Furness  !      The  wound  i*  there, 
•hel, 

"  Nay,  nay  !    that  will  heal.      Let    i:ie  -••••  tO  the  arm.       ' 
-lence  and  necessity  have  made  me  something  of  a 

With    tenderness,  and  not  a  little    skill.  Singleton    dressed  the 
wound,  which  was  slight,  though  it  hied  <piite  fieely.     Tlii»  d 
lie  Haid  — 

"  Troctor,  this  man  is  more  than  a  match  for  JOH," 

"  What  !    at  the  small-sword  ?" 

;     in     point    of    temper.      }{••  1  heade(l     nnd 

hearted.      His    n«  :  :     In-    ha 

Idood   under    excellent    command.      He  will    alwa 
lie  will  finally  conijtier  in  t:  «-lf 

nnder  a  more  se\ere  training   than    any  to  which  y.-u  ! 


120  KATHA  i:  I  N  I'     \V A  LTON. 

subjected  yourself.  You  will  have  1<>  learn  the  le<son  t.>  subdue 
yourself  to  your  necessities.  Till  a  man  does  this,  he  can  do 
nothing.  I  can  readily  conjecture  that  the  subtlety  of  this  man 
has,  in  some  way,  enmeshed  you.  I  have;  no  doubt  that  YOU 
are  in  his  snares;  and  1  foresee  that,  like  a  spider,  confident  in 
the  strength  of  his  web.  lie  will  lie  f,,nln  until  you  exhaust 
yourself  in  vain  struggles,  and  when  fairly  exhausted  and  at  his 
mercy,  he  will  then  administer  the  ('<»//»/,  /// 

"  What  :  are  you  my  friend,  yet  paint  me  such  a  humiliating 
pictur. 

It  is  because  I  am  your  friend,  and  deeply  sympathi/e  with 
you,  that  I  have  drawn  this  picture.  It  is  neces~arv  to  make 
you  shudder  at  what  you  may  reasonably  apprehend,  or  YOU 
\vill  never  learn  the  most  important  of  all  lesson*  in  such  a  con 
flict —  not  to  shrink  or  startle  because  you  suffer:  not  to  speak 
out  in  passion  because  \  on  feel;  and  never  to  show  your  wea 
pon  until  you  are  fully  prepared  to  strike.  The  subtlest  scheme 
of  villany  may  be  foiled,  if  we  only  bide  our  time,  keep  our 
temper,  and  use  the  best  wits  that  (lod  lias  given  us.  For  \illany 
has  always  some  weak  place  in  its  web.  Find  out  tJmt,  and  there 
will  be  little  difficulty  in  breaking  through  i).  Do  you  believe  me? 
—  do  you  understand  me?" 

"All.  Furness  !  1  would  I  had  such  a  friend  a-  you  in  the  city. 
It  is  then  that  the  struggle  must  be  renewed.  " 

"I  have  a  friend  there,  to  whom  I  \\ill  commend  YOU;  a  rare 
per-on.  and  an  old  one.  I5ut  of  \\\\<  hereafter.  It  i-  imt  too 
late  for  our  pmpoM  d  tauter.  Let  us  rid,.,  it'  only  for  an  hour." 


HOMl!N<;     A\!>    SF.XTIMKXT  121 


CHAPTER  XIIT. 

AMI  M-:  \TIHK.\T. 


TUK  two  friends  mile  together  for  an  hour  or  m<  re,  until  the 
night  came  down  and  counselled  their  return.  They  pursued 
the  great  mad  below.  leading  down  the  Ashlev,  and  unfold 
at  every  mile,  in  their  progress,  the  noble  avenues  of  oak  c.»n- 
tlueting  to  those  nuineroiis  stately  abodes  along  t!ie  river,  whieh 
rendered  it,  in  that  day,  one  ol'  the  most  remarkable 
wealth  and  civilization  whieh  was  known  in  the  whole  country 
Some  of  the.se  places  were  still  held  l.y  their  o\\  ners,  \\lio  had 
'•'•ri/.ed  with  the  invader,  or,  being  females  OT  Orphans,  had 
i«ed  his  exactions.  (  )thers,  like  "  the  (  )aks."  were  in  the 
hands  of  the  seiji'estrator,  and  managed  hy  his  The 

mood  (lf   I'mctur  did  not    sutler   him    to    pay  iniieli   regard  to  the 

;>ect,  though,  under   auspices    mon-    grateful    to    his  feel; 
he    had    felt  it  a  thousand    times    l.rt'.Mv.      H«'    had    ridden    . 
tins  very  road    in   company  with    Kathaiine  Walton,  at  a  pni-.d 
when    his   heart    fondlv  entertained    a   hope    that    he   might    find 
some  answering  sympathy  in  hers.      lie  had   Leen  painfully  di- 
ahused  of  this  hope,  in  the  conviction  that  now  hetiothed 

irrevocaldy  to    annther;    hut    his   mind,  which  was   in   that 
uhen    it    srems  to  find  a  melancholy  pleasure    in    hrooding  up<-n 

ijijM.intments,  now  ic\  cited  to  this  among  the 
"1    am   a   fated    person,    Fur.  Y-u    ha\e    heard    of   men 

whom  the  worl.l  MeDU  t-«  thwa:t  ;    wh-'in  Fortune  . 

out  of  her  way  t"  «ii-ajijioint    and    afllict  ;    who  fall  for  . 
wlien  they  appear  to  riSO,  an«l  who  drink   hitter   from  the  cup  in 
whieh  they  fancy  that  I  have  heen  allowed  to 

mingle  !      I  belong  t«i  that  peculiar  fami 

(i 


122  KATH. \KI\F.    WALTON. 

"  Tar  Ion  me,  Proctor,  Imt  I  have  little   faith  in  tliis  doctrinfi 
of    predestination.      Tlmt    Fortune    distributes    lier    favors    un 
e<|iially,  I  can  understand  and  believe.     This  is  inevitable,  from 
the  condition  of  the   race,  from  its  very  necessities,  which  make 
it  important  to  the  safety  and  progress  of  all  that  all  should  not 

equally  favored ;  and  from  those,  obvious  discrepancies  and 
faults  in  training  and  education,  which  move  men  to  persevere 
in  a  conflict  with  their  own  advantages.  But  that  Fortune  takes 
a  malicious  pleasure  in  seeking  out  her  victims,  and  defeating 
perversely  the  best  plans  of  wisdom  and  endeavor,  I  am  not 
ready  to  believe.  In  your  case,  I  really  see  no  occasion  for 
such  a  notion.  Here,  while,  still  a  very  young  man,  yon  have 
attained  a  very  high  rank  in  the  British  army — an  institution 
notoriously  hostile  to  sudden  rise,  or  promotion,  unless  by  favor." 

"  And  to  what  has  it  conducted  me?"  said  the  other,  abruptly 
breaking  in.  "To  comparative  discredit;  to  temporary  over 
throw  ;  and  possibly,  future  shame.  Certainly  to  an  obscuration 
of  hopr,  and  fortune." 

"  Let  us  hope  not  —  let  us  try  that  such  shall  not  be  the  case. 
This  despondency  of  mood  is  really  the  worst  feature  in  your 
aflaii 

"  Ah,  you  know  not  all !  I  hope  to  struggle  through  this 
affair  of  Dorchester.  On  that  subject  you  have  warned  me  to 
an  effort  which  1  had  otherwise  been  scarcely  prepared  to  make; 
and  you  have  shown  me  clews  which  I  shall  pursue  ipiite  as 
much  from  curiosity  as  from  any  other  feeling.  If  this  affair 
were  all!  I  asked  you  if  you  had  seen  Miss  Walton?  Yon 
will  not  be  surprised  to  hear  me  sav  that  1  loved  her  from  tha 
moment  when  I  beheld  her.  I  do  not  know  that  it  will 
occasion  any  surprise  when  1  tell  yon  that  I  loved  in  vain." 

It  did  nnf  ;    but  of  this  Singleton  said  nothing. 

"  Pride,  ambition,  fortune,  love,  all  baflled  !  Do  yon  doubt 
that  Fate  has  chosen  me.  out  as  one  of  those  victims  upon  whom 
«he  is  pleased  t<,  exercise  her  experiments  in  malice  I  Yet  all 
shone  and  BOemed  so  promising  at  first." 

"  But  you  are  still  at  the  beginning  of  the  chapter,  my  dear 
fellow.  Your  life  has  sea  ice  begun.  The  way  is  a  long  one 
yet  before  ynn  It  will  be  strange,  indeed,  if  it  should  long 


continue  clouded.      Von  will    iv<  •  Y..II  will   <:• 

and  expose    this  Yauuhan,  and    he    n-Mon-d    to    t!i;-t    rai.k  in  the 
nrmy  which    \»\\   90   eniineiitly  desei  ve.      1       j        •'  |    yam 

nji'niic  Jf  ('(ri/r.      The   subject    is,   at    all    times,  a   del. 
Hut   is   it    so   certain    that   your   prospects  with    Mi*s  Waltoi. 
entirely  hopel* 

The  curio>ity  which  Singleton  expressed  in  his  latter  question 
is  not  without  its  apology.      It  would  seem  to  lie  natural  enough 

lover,  whatever   might  he    his   own    certainties  on  • 
of  his  atlcctions. 

"On  that  suhject   say  no  more.      She  is  hetn.thed  to   a: 
More  than  that,  she  t-ruly  loves   him.      It  is  not  a  ;  the 

day  when   the   youn^   heart,  needing   an   ohjcct    ahoiit    which    to 
Mid,  rather  >eeks  than  selects  a  favorite.      She  has  made  hei 
choice    deliherately,  hrinirin^    her   mind    to   co-operate   with    hei 
heart,  and  her  attachment    i.s   intlexihle.      This  1   kn-w.      S! 
a    lemarkahle  woman.      Not    a  woman    in    the   ordinary 
the  term.      Not  one  of  the  cla^s  who  readily  reconcile  th- 
to  events.  \\  ho    can    acc"ii;)iiodate    their   alVectioi- 
itition.  and  expeml  just  so  mm  h  of  them  upon  their  ol 
maintain     external    appearances.      Her    heart    p-es    tl. 
with  he]-  decision,  and  her  \\i\\  oidy  follows  her  affect;. 
I  tire  you.     You  cannot  feel  greatly  interoted  in  one  \\hon, 
so  little  know." 

"  Hut   I  am   interested    in    the   character  you   descvihe. 
than  that,  I  am  interested   in   yan.      Follow  your   hent.  am! 
!iie  a  willing  lister. 

"  Nay.  on    this   Milject    I   will    say  no   more.      T  which 

has  its  annoyances.      M\-  admiration  of  Mi>^  Walton  only  u 
me    leel    how    r;reatl\-    I    have    heen    a    loser,   and    L'ives    such    an 
e-l^e  to  my  despondencies M to  make  me  resigned  tO  a!mo<t  any 

Hut  you  sjioke  of  the  army,  ami  of  my  ; 

On   this    point    let    me    i:n  ;•  :;.      I    h,r  > 

military  amhition.      T!  :ly  importaiil 

to  me  as   a    r.  t    reputation.      The    stain    taken  from   my 

name,  and  I  sheathe  n 

bloodshed  —  particularl \    si*  k    .  :  .  which   I  am   a->hamod 

)f.  and  the  lav..;,;!  |«  resoll   •  f  ifl  K  b    1   •  .'-eiii  hopeless" 


124  KAlli.UMNi:    WALTON. 

"  Ha;   how?     Do  you  moan  to  tlio  royal  arms?" 

"  You  are  surprised.  But  such  is  ovon  my  tlionght.  Grant 
Britain  is  destined  to  »ose  her  colonies.  She  is  already  almost 
exhausted  iii  the  contest.  Her  resources  are  consumed.  Her 
debt  is  enormous.  Her  expenses  are  hourly  increasing.  She 
can  get  no  more  subsidies  of  men  from  Germany,  and  her  Irish 
recruits  desert  her  almost  as  soon  as  they  reach  America.  Her 
ministers  would  have  abandoned  the  cause  before  this,  but  for 
the  encouragement  held  out  by  the  native  loyalists." 

"  And  they  have  taken  up  arms  for  the  crown,  onty  because 
they  believed  the  cause  of  the  colonies  hopeless  against  the 
Overwhelming  power  of  the.  mother-country.  Could  they  hold 
with  you  in  our  interior,  the  British  cause  would  find  no  advo 
cates." 

"  They  will  hold  with  me  as  soon  as  the.  foreign  supplies 
cease.  Already  they  begin  to  perceive  that  they  themselves 
form  the  best  lighting  materials  of  our  armies." 

"  Fighting  with  halters  about  their  necks." 

"Precisely;  but  the  moment  they  discover  fully  our  weak 
ness,  they  will  make  terms  with  the  Revolutionary  paity,  which 
will  only  be.  too  ready  to  receive  them  into  its  ranks.  1  foi 
all  that  is  to  happen,  and  the  British  ministry  sees  it  also. 
Nothing  but  pride  of  stomach  keeps  them  even  n<>\v  from  th-^e 
concessions  which  will  prove,  inevitable  in  another  campaign. 
They  must  have  seen  the  hopelessness  of  the  cause  the  moment 
that  they  found  no  party  suiliciently  strong,  in  any  of  the  colo 
nies,  to  control  the  progress  of  the  movement.  No  people  can 

he  conquered  by  another,  three  thousand  miles  removed  from 

»he.  seat  of  action,  so  lon^;  as  they  themselves  resolutelv  //•///  to 
t.intinne  the  conflict.  Tin1,  vast  tract  of  sea  \\hich  spreads  be 
tween  this  country  and  Europe,  is  itself  sntlicient  security.  To 
transport  troops,  arms,  and  provisions,  across  thi>  tract  is,  in 
each  instance,  equivalent  to  the  loss  of  a  battle.  There  is  no 
struggle  which  could  pro\e  m  ..i-  oxhau>ting  in  the  end." 

'•  You  hold  forth  but  poor  encouragement  to  our  loyalist 
Uvthren,"  sai<!  Singleton,  with  a  smile  scarcely  suppressed. 

"  Hear  m>',  l'un:c->;  I  would  say  or  do  nothing  which  could 
injure  the  service;  in  which  I  have  hitherto  drawn  the  sword 


8COUTI\<;     \M>    -KMIMF  N 

My   own   loyalty,  I    trust,  \vill    al\v:iys   he   unimpeachahle  ;   hut, 
my  friend,  the    regard  which   I   1'ccl  for  you  prompts  IMP  to  wish, 
for  your    nvn   sake,  tliat   you    had   drawn    tin-   sword  with    i 
peoj.1,-  rather  than  against  them.      Tlio  American  loyalists  must 
ami  will  he  ahandoned  to  their  Into.     Thev  will  he  tin- 

s  in   the   conte>t.      They  will   forfeit    their  homes,  and  their 

memories  will  he  stained  with  reproach  :  -ant  peri- 

rhaps,  fortunate  f«»r  them,  as  tending  to  lessen  this 

rejiroatdi  in  the  minds  of  all   just  persons,  that  the  greater  num- 

her  of  them,  particularlv  in    these   southern   colonies,  are  i; 

Hritons.      It  was  natural  that  they  should  side  with  their  natural 

reign.      Hut.  for  the  mttin-s  of  tin*  soil,  there  can  he  no  such 

IQ,      Abandoned    hy  (Ireat    Britain,  they  will    ho  doomed  to 

an  exile  which  will  lack  the  consolations  of  those  who  can  plead 

for  their  course,  all  the  affinities  of  hirth,  and  all  the  ohligations 

ihjects   horn  within   the   shadow  of  the  throne.      I  would  to 

<  '     ..  for  your  sake,  that  you  had  heen  a  foreigner,  or  I 

;  weapon  against  your  people!" 

How  ^injjcton  longed  to  grasp  the  hand  of  \\.  BE,  and 

untold   to    him   the   truth.      Hut    his   secret  wa>    too    ju, 
ha/ard,  even    in    the   hands   of  friendship  ;   and   quite   too  much 
depended  on  his   present  concealment  to  suil'er  hii: 
to  the  honest  impulse  which  would  have  relieve. 1  him  of  all 
credit  in  the  eves  of  his  CMmpanion. 

i    have   placed    the   suhject    under   new  lights   hef- 

is    \\\<   answer.      "  It    is   somethir  rhonght  tip"iu 

That  the  Hriti.xh  power  has  heen  weakened,  that   i' 
coni|nest    is    great]  d,  I    have   alu-a^iy  seen;    hut    1    had 

no  thought  that  such  opinions  were   generally  prevalent  in 
mrmy." 

"  Nor  do  I  Hay  that  they  n:-  ;>  ilf.iir 

to  think  as  I  do,  even  when  the  orders  reach  him  i 
ntion  of  Chariest-. n  ;    and   as   for    my  excellent  un 
his  charge  of  conii>cated  Mtfttei  in«  will  fancy  tha' 

gaiiK-  i>  jnst  what   it  should    he.      Hut,  to  my  min  :. 
tiu-xitahle.      Th«->e    cohm-r  lina    and    G 

cut  ofV   from  the  confederai 
b*?  temjxtrarv  only.      '1  :  after  a 


12ti  KATHAUlNi:    WALTON. 

experiment,  and  the  independence  <>f  America  will  be  finaiK 
and  fully  acknowledged.  The  war  must  have  ceased  long  ago, 
and  after  a  single  campaign  only,  had  it  not  been  begun  pre 
maturely  bv  the  Americans.  The  colonies  were,  not  (jnite  ready 
for  the  struggle.  In  a  single  decade  more,  the  fruits  would  have 
hern  quite  ripe;  and  it  would  only  have  required  a  single  sha 
king  of  the  tree.  Then  they  would  not  have  needed  a  French 
alliance.  The  native  population  would  have  been  so  greatly  in 
vndant,  that  the  foreign  settlers  would  not  have  dreamed 
of  any  opposition  to  the  movement." 

"  Our  loyalists,  according  to  your  notions,  have  shown  them 
selves  unwise  ;  but  their  fidelity,  you  will  admit,  is  a  redeeming 
something,  which  ought  to  secure  them  honorable  condition*  and 
again.-t  reproach." 

"I  am  not  so  sure  of  that.  The  true  loyalty  is  to  the  soil,  or 
rather  to  the  race.  I  am  persuaded  that  one  is  never  more  safe 
in  his  principles  than  when  he  takes  side  with  his  kindred. 
There,  is  a  virtue  in  the  race  which  strengthens  and  secures  our 
own;  and  he  is  ne\er  more  in  danger  of  proving  in  the  wrong 
than  v/lien  he  resolutely  opposes  himself  to  the  sentiments  of  his 
penjue.  At  all  events,  one  may  reasonably  distrust  the,  virtue 
in  his  principle,  when  he  finds  himself  called  upon  to  sustain  it 
by  actually  drawing  the  sword  against  his  kindred,  lint  the 
subject  is  one  to  distress  you,  Furness,  and  1  have  no  wish  to  do 
^0.  I  have  simply  been  prompted  to  speak  thus  plainly  by  the 
interest  1  take  in  your  fortunes.  Were  1  you.  I  should  seek 
from  lialfour  an  opportunity  to  exchange  the  service,  and  get  a 
transfer  to  some  «•!  the  Hritish  regiments  in  the  West  Indies." 

"  1  shall  live  and  die  on  my  native  soil,"  said  the  other. 
quickly.  "  If  our  cause  fails  I  will  perish  with  it." 

"  It   irill  fail,  Furne^." 

"Never!    never!"    was  the  emphatic  reply. 

"  Let  us  change  the  subject,"  said  the  other.  "  Did  you  re 
mark  these  pine  woods  as  we  passed  them  half  an  hour  ago  I 
What  a  grateful  and  delicate  tint  tliev  wore  in  the  evening  sun  J 
Can  you  conceive  of  anything  more  sombre  than  their  gloomy 
shadows,  notr,  in  the  duskv  I  •  \ening!  Thev  stand  up 

like  so  many  melancholy  spectre.-  of  gl"ri«»us  hopes  which  have 


iMKNT.  l'J7 

peiished — gloomy    memorials   •  •!' joy*   ami    triumphs    which    the 
heart    h;ul    dreamed    in    vain.      !).»   you   know  that  1  could    : 
with    a    ri-li.sli,   penetrate    thcM-    grim    a\  enues,  and    lay    myself 
do\vn  in  the  deepest  part  of  the  t hicket,  to  muse,  throughout  the 
night,  and  night  after  night,  with  a  sort  of  painful  satisfaction  !" 

44  1  have  mused  and  hrooded  under  such  shadows  a  thou.-and 
times,  night  and  day,  without  a  gloomy  feeling —  nay,  with 
something  ot'  a  joy  that  found  its  pleasure  in  ilu.  witli 

jrowth  of  ith  most  melancholy  emoti* 

"  i  ht*   heart   ^ivcs   its   diaractei   to   the    scene    ahva/s.      The 
genius  of  place  is  horn  always  in  the  soul  of  the  occupant.     .V 
is  lift  a  joyous  spirit  now,  and  1  would  end-rare  these  sha-i 
if  a  thousand  times  more  gloomy,  as  if  they  had   I  een   my  kin 
dred.      Hut  what  is  this  that  stirs/      Ha!    u  1. 

'he    challenge,    a    .-diadow    dashed    arp-ss    the    roadj    and 
1'roetor,  clapping  spurs  to  his  luirse,  with  the  old   military  ; 
i:i£  of  suspi.-ious  watch  and  command,  forced  the  animal  foi  \. 
in  the  direction    of   the  ,    l.nt    he  — with  a 

'hat    he  was   totally  unarmed  —  as   he   l«e- 
hehl,  standing  dOM  hy  the  road-side,  and   partly  &heltered 
hujre  pine,  the  figure  of  a  man  with  a  musket  aln-.;  !ed 

and  tlie  eye  of  th.  deliherately  coursing  al-;ij  the  bar 

rel.      At  that  iiniii.i  ''-ton  cried  out  — 

"  Hold  nj),  my  ^ood  iellow.  Would  you  shoot  us  without 
giving  the  time  of  day  /" 

ri'lu-    stranger    threw    up    his    musket    and    hrought    the    hutt 
>  d v  upon  the  ground. 

"There's  no  time,  of  day."  said  he,  with  a  chuckle,  "when 
you  are  ahout  to  ride  over  a  hody." 

-peaker  I    of   the    t 

answered,  with  an  air  of  unalVected  confidence.      II- 
in  the  common  hlue  homespun  of  the  country  ;    hut 

!.at  mixed  military  and   Indi.Mi  el  •  >tc«l 

the  forester  m-  ranger  of  the  period. 

"  Who  are  you  ,'"  .i«-inan-led   rroct.u-. 

44  My  Dame'l  Futtrell,  if  that's  \\liat  you  want  to  know,  and 
I  'in  from  the  OypFBM,  li.'-  J  D  .;lemen.  « 

you,  a   §t ray   >ouel   Jiag,  with    a    l«la/.o    in  left 


KATilAUIXi:    WALTON. 

foreleg  uhite  uj)  to  his  knee*  '.  He's  a  right  smart  nag,  and  a 
little  wild,  that  got  off  i'roin  the  lot  now  two  days  ago;  ami  was 
tracked  down  as  tar  as  Bacon's  bridge,  an  thar  we  lost  him." 

This  inquiry  seemed  to  anticipate  all  questions;  and,  by  t.hih 
time,  Proctor,  remembering  that  he  was  no  longer  in  command, 
felt  no  disposition  to  ask  anything  further.  Having  answered 
the  question  of  the  stranger  in  the  negative,  he  was  disposed  to 
ride  on  ;  but  by  this  time  Mr.  Fnitrell  was  curiously  examining 
the.  horse  of  Singleton. 

"That's  a  mighty  fine  beast  of  yourn,  stranger,"  he  said, 
etroking  the  animal's  neck  and  forelegs. 

"You  wouldn't  like  to  buy  him  ?"  said  Singleton,  good-hu- 
moredly. 

"That  I  should,  stranger,"  replied  the  other,  "if  buying  a 
horse  meant  taking  him  with  a  promise,  to  pay  when  the  skies 
•hould  rain  golden  guineas." 

"  We  are  in  danger  of  no  such  shower  for  some  time  to  come, 
01  from  any  quarter,"  said  J'roctor.  "  Let  us  ride,  Furness." 

And,  as  he  spoke,  the  steed  of  the  speaker  went  slowly 
ahead.  At  this  moment,  the  stranger  seixed  his  opportunity  to 
thrust  a  scrap  of  paper  into  the  hands  of  Singleton,  who  stooped 
down  to  him  and  whispered  a  single  sentence;  then  rode  away 
to  join  his  companion,  who  had  perceived  n';  ic  of  these  move 
ments. 

"Dang  it!"  muttered  Futtrell,  looking  after  the  two,  "our 
colonel's  just  as  full  of  stratagems  as  an  egg's  full  of  meat. 
Proctor  was  always  reckoned  a  real  keen  fellow  for  an  English 
man,  yet  the  colonel  goes  into  him  as  if  he  had  a  key  for  all  the 
doors  in  his  heart.  Well,  we  shall  know  all  about  it,  I  reckon, 
before  the  night's  over." 

With  these,  words,  the  stranger  disappeared  within  the 
shadows  of  the,  wood,  which,  from  this  point,  spread  away,  in 
unbroken  depth  and  density,  to  the  west  —  a  continuous  wall  of 
thicket  almost  encircling  the  plantation  of  Colonel  Walton,  and 
forming  a  portion  only  of  his  extensive  domain.  The  spot 
where  our  companions  encountered  Futtrell  was  scarcely  half  a 
mile  from  the  mansion-house.  The  two  former,  meanwhile, 
made  their  way  to  "The  Oaks"  without  further  interruption. 


IT. 

When  they  reached    ihe    entrance  of  tin-   dwelling,  it   \\a.s  found 
that    the   MT\aiM    of   Major    I'mctMr  \\  as    i;.>t    j.n-M-nt,  . 
custom,  :  ...  aid 

and  took  that  of  Singleton. 

>r   was   impatient,   and    hegan   to   clamor  loudly    f..r    his 
fellow  ;  but  the  Ciy  Of  "  John — John!  what  ho!  there — .J«.hn!" 
had  scam  !y  l.een  sounded  a  second  time,  when  the  person  sum 
moned —  a  short,  s^uat,  sturdy  Englishman,  with   a   red  face  — 
made   his   appearance,   in    a   run,  out    of  hrcath,  and    seemingly 
s.'i.iewhat    agitated    l.y    his    exhaustion    or    his    appn 
IWtor  did    not    perceive    his   discomposure,  hut    contented   him- 
!M-lf  with    administering  a  sharp  rehuke  lor  his  alienee  ami 
lert.      Singleton's   e\e  was  drawn    to   the  fellow,  and   something 
in  his  a}>pearance  rendered  our  partisan  distrustful  for  n  nmn.. 
hut  nothing  w;u,  said,  and  he  boon  entered  the  dwelling  will. 
companion. 

uleu  was  in  waiting  to  receive   them,  and    his   manner  • 
much  niore  conciliatory  and  gracious  than  when  thev  sejiarat«i<l  in 
the  afternoon.      lie  was  governed  hy  a  jioliey,  in  this  dejiorti 
which  will  have  its  explanation  hereafter.      We  need  D* 
our  attention  upon    the  conversation  which   occupied   tl 
during   tl»e   evening,  as   it   was   of  that    casual    nature    designed 
bimply  jmur  JHIXXI  r  le  tntij>x,  which  need  not  employ  ours.      When 
(Vudcn   retin-d,  the  young  men  \.  •    to    re>miie   tlieir  coii- 

A  hich,  though    it  had  regard    to  the  sul-jects   most  inter 
esting  to  t!,em,  and  in  some  degree  of  interest  to  us.  yet  c"mi: 
to  nothing  more  definite,  than  we  have  aheadv  under-:       ;.       I 

ated  at   a  toleral-ly  early  hour,  and  Singleton  retired    t 
ehamher  —  hut    not  to  sleep.      It  will    occasion  no   surprise  when 
we    find  our   partisan,  at    midnight,  emerging   stealthilv  from   his 
ipartment,  and  from  the  duelling,  and  making   hi.- 
t  <  the  wo.-d  where  he  had  encountered  Futtrell.      Wha; 
whom  he   found,  or  wh.  '  >ne  there,  hv  himxdf  or  others, 

must  he  reserved  fur  another  chaptt'r.  We  must  not  antic:: 
It  i>  sutliciently  clear,  howt-ver,  that  Singleton  has  n««t  eomn.. 
himself  to  the  association  with  his  enemies,  wit!  g  friends 

at  need,  and  within  easy  summon.-,  of  his  1  ugle. 

6* 


K  ATM  A  KINK    WALTON. 


CHAPTER    XIV 
CAMP-F1RB8. 

\VHKN  (icneral  (Jreenc  was  despatched  to  the  south,  after  the 
ii-feat  <»f  (iates  at  I'ainden,  to  take  charge  of  the  southern  army, 
lie  found  himself  in  a  region  of  the  world  so  utterly  dit^'.rent  from 
;  thin^  in  his  previous  experience,  that  he  was  fain  to  ac 
knowledge  himself  bewildered  hy  what  he  saw,  if  not  at  a  loss 
as  to  what  he  should  undertake.  According  to  his  letters,  he 
\\as  in  a  country  in  which  a  general  was  "never  at  any  inonu-nt 
quite  secure  from  a  capital  misfortune."  The  difficulty  was  cer 
tainly  a  bewildering  one,  particularly  where,  the  generalship  was 
of  that  inflexible  sort  which  could  not  readily  accommodate  its 
.strategy  to  novel  circumstances  and  conditions.  This  wa-s  the 
peculiar  deficiency  of  Gates,  who,  for  example,  hecauso  he  had 
achieved  the  capture  of  Burgoyne,  in  a  hilly  and  rather  densely- 
settled  country,  without  the  aid  of  cavalry,  hurried  to  the  con 
elusion  that  he  was  equally  independent  of  such  an  arm  in  a 
perfectly  level  and  sparsely-settled  region,  where,  in  truth,  cav 
alry  should  have  heen  his  most  necessary  dependence.  (Jreene 
\\a-  not  go  Muhhoni;  hut  his  genius  was  still  too  much  lacking 
in  ilexi'hility.  Jlis  embarrassment,  in  the  scene  nf  his  new  opera 
tions,  arose  from  the  immen.-.-  lon-fs.  the  impervious  swamp-  1  v 
which  they  were  relieved  and  intersected,  and  the  wonderful 
security  in  which  a  lurking  enemy  might  harhor,  within  sight  of 
the  very  smokes  of  the  camp,  without  heing  suspected  of  any 
Kiich  near  neighborhood.  This,  which  was  particularly  true  of 
the  region  of  country  watered  hy  the  Pedee,  the  Oongaree,  the 
Santee,  and  other  leading  arteries  of  the  interior,  was,  in  a  Treas 
ure,  true  also  of  the  tracts  lying  along  the  Cooper  and  Ashley  .- 


CAMI-  i  i 
though  portions  of  tin-  Urals  which  were  watered  bv  these  stream* 

liail  been,  fur  a  COnnderablc  space  of  time,  under  a  lii'jli  state  of 
cultivation. 

To  those  familiar  with  the  country,  oven  now,  it  will   occasion 
it"  Mir|>ri>e    to  In-  tol.l    that    the  Carolina  partisans  wen-  wont    tn 
penetrate  with  confidence  between  the  several  posts  of  the  Hi  it 
ish  throughout  the  cidony,  and  to  lie  in  wait  for  favorable  ••; 
tunitie.s  of  surprise  and  ambush,  within  the  immediate  vicinl" 
Charleston.      A  close    thicket,    a    deep    swamp    skirting    road    or 
river,  atl'orded,  t«.  a  people  familiar  with  these  haunts,  ample  liar- 
1  inra^e  even  within  five  milr.x  of  the  enemy's  garrison  ;    and    tin- 
moment  of  danger  found    them  cjuicklv  mounted    on  the    ti< 
steeds,  and    darting    away  in    search   of  other    places    of  refuse. 
\Ye    have    seen    with    what    audacitv    Colonel    Walton    ventured 
upon    his   own    domain,  though    guarded    hy  his  !'..»>.  and    under 
the  very  eye  of  the  strong  post  of  Dorchester.      It   will    he  . 
to  conceive    that    Singleton's    troopers  could    find    a  secure  ; 
of  hiding,  indulging  in  a  rational  confidence,  for  days  in  this  very 

idtorhood.      Such  was  the  case  ;    and  to  one  ..f  tln>e  ret 
we  propo>e  to  conduct   tho  reader,  anticipating  the  approach   of 
the  commander  of  the  party  lying  thus  jirnln. 

About  a  inil<*  west  of  the  A>h!ev,  and  a  few  miles  only  helow  the 
British  po>t  at  I  )oirhester.  the  explorer  may  even  now  penetrate 
to  a  little  liny,  or  small  bottom  of  drowned  land,  the  growth  of 
which,  slightly  interspersed  with  cv].rev>  and  tupelo,  is  chiefly 
compo...ed  of  that  dwarf  laurel  called  tl.«  m  whirli  the 

'.  in  l\n>  jifir/ti/trr  of  the  country,  der.\  'ue.      'I'ln-  im 

mediate  basin,  or  circuit  of  drowned  land,  retains  to  this  moment 

rmvth  and  verdure;    but  we  look    now  in  vain  for   the  d 
forest  of  oak,  hickory,  jiine.  ash,  and  other  forest-trees,  l»y  whirl, 
it  was  encircled,  and  under  the  shadows  of  \\hich    the  ; 
found  their  refuge  in  tin-  days  of  the  Revolution. 
a  venerable  sanctuary  for  our  f 

rable  curdrrn  of  vidette  they  made    them- 

c-ure  against   surprise,  so  IOHL:   a>  tin   .  '  •  keeji   their    : 

tir-n.      \Ve  need  not  describe  the  place  n. 

of  our  readers   possos  a  -U::M -ient    general    i'iea    of  the  sh: 
Mid  :     i;ch  a  spot;    of  it>  >\ild  beauties,  an-1  ' 


132  KAT11AK1XK    WALTON. 

solemnity  of  its  solitude.  Let  them  take  into  view  the  neai 
neighborhood  of  .streams  and  rivers,  girdled  l»y  dense  swam| 
fastnesses,  almost  impenetrable.  except  by  obscure  and  narrow 
avenues,  known  only  to  the.  natives  of  the  country,  and  they 
will  readily  corn-rive  the  decree  of  security  attainable  by  the 
partisan  warrior,  who  is  alert  in  his  movements,  ami  exercise* 
an  ordinary  share  of  prudence  and  circumspection. 

The  spot  which  we  now  approach  was  quite,  familiar  to  the 
party  by  whom  it  is  occupied.  Most  of  them  were,  born  in  the 
neighborhood,  and  accustomed  from  boyhood  to  traverse  its 
shadowy  passages.  This  will  account  for  the  confidence  which 
they  felt  in  making1  it  their  place  of  harborage,  almost  within 
cannon  shot  of  the  fortress  of  the  enemy.  The  squad  which 
Singleton  had  here  placed  in  waiting  was  a  small  one,  consisting 
of  twelve  or  fifteen  persons  only.  At  the  hour  when  he  left 
"The  Oaks"  on  foot,  to  visit  them  in  their  place,  of  hiding,  thev 
were  in  expectation  of  his  coming.  Futtrcll  had  returned,  and 
apprized  them  of  his  whispered  promise  to  that  effect.  A  group 
of  gigantic  oaks  surrounded  their  bivouac,  their  great  branches 
glossily  and  always  green,  and  draped  with  wide,  waving  stream 
ers  of  venerable  moss.  The  fires  of  the  party  were  made  up  in 
a  hollow  formed  by  the  gradual  sloping  of  the  earth  from  three 
several  sides.  This  depression  was  chosen  for  the  purpose,  as 
enabling  them  the  better  to  conceal  the  flame  which,  otherwise, 
gleaming  through  some  broken  places  in  the  woods,  might  have, 
conducted  the  hostile  eye  to  the  place  of  refuge.  In  this  hollow, 
in  sundrv  groups,  were  most  of  the,  partv.  Some  sat  or  stood 
engaged  in  various  occupations.  Some  lay  at  length  \\itli  their 
feet  to  the  fire,  and  their  eyes,  half  shut,  looking  up  at  the  gjrrn 
branches,  or  the  starlighted  skies  overhead.  One  might  be  MTU 
mending  his  bridle,  close  by  the  lire;  another  was  drawing  the 
bullet  from  his  rifle,  cleansing  or  burnishing  it  ;  and  others  \\erc 
grouped,  with  la-ads  together,  in  quiet  discourse  among  them 
selves.  Saddles  1.  !  rnralh  the  trees;  cloaks,  and  coats*, 
and  bridles,  depended  from  their  brandies  ;  and  several  blan 
kets  hung  down  from  similar  suppoit.-,  the  use  of  which  was  ob 
viously  to  assist  in  concealing  the  gleam  of  fuelight  from  th« 
of  the  stranger  in  the  distance. 


LSI 

•» 

On.'  object  in  tliis  enumeration  .should  nut  he  .suffered  to  es 
cape  .»ur  attention.  'J'lii.s  \*.  t  pde  "I"  canc.s,  or  rec<. 

wrhich  tl.<  ps  ami  lowlands  throughout  the  country 

furnished  an   abundance,  and  which  two  of  tin-  younger  pc. 
of  tin-  party  uere  busy  in  trimming  of  their  blades  and  plume>, 
fashioning  them  into  arrows  of  a  yard  long,  and  seasoning  in  the 
warm    ashes  of  tin-    fire.      Feathers  .,f  the    eagle,  the    crane,  the 
hawk,  and  common  turkey,  a  goodly  variety,  indeed,  were  crowd 
ed    into  a  harket  between  the  lads   thus  employed.      With    tl 
tliey  tilted  tin-  sliai'ts,  wlien  ready  in  other  respects;    and  hits  of 
wire,  and  nails  of  wrought  iron,  rounded   and   sharpened  with   a 
lile.  were,  with    considerable   dexterity,  fitted    into   the    hea  : 
the    shafts,      The    employment    all'orded    a   commentary    on    the 
I  our  war  of  independence,  though  it  is  still  a  <|iies- 
tion,  whether  the  implements  oi'the  Indian  warrior  did  not  possess 
advantages  i>ver  those  of  eivili/atioii,  whicli  tended  to  lev-en 
ly    the    disparity    hetween    the    se\cral    weapons.      (  >!'    this 
matter  something  will  he,  learned  hereafter.      Sheaves  of  ai 
already  prepared  for  use,  and  rude,  hows,  made  of  white  oak  and 
ash,  might    he    seen    placet!    away   in    safety    hencath    the    t; 
among  other  of  the  munitions  of  the  encampment  ;   all  of  which 
betokened  a  rude  hut  ready  regard  to  the  exigencies  ,,f  WVi 

At  a  little,  distance  from  these  partie.-  and  tlueir  to;. Is,  and  0,1 
the  Opposite  .-i'le  of  the  fire,  was  a  group  of  four  persons,  of  whom 
nothing  !  iid.  These  were  luisy  in  preparations  of 

another  sort.      Ti,<  -.fa  line  buck  lay  between  them,  and 

two  of  the  party  were  already  preparing  to  cut  him  up.      <  ): 
these    perSOTU  with    arms   bare    to  the  elbows,  th.uri.shed    a    IIIOM- 
strous   «,uf<du   </<•  /7/»/.w<,  with    the   twofold    air   of  a   hero  and   a 
butcher.      This  was   a  portly  person   of  the    most    formidable   di 
mensions,  with    an    abdominal  development    that    might  well 
come  an  alderman.     He  had  evidently  a  taste  lor  the  work  1" 
him.      How  he   measured   the   brisket  !     how  he  felt    for   the  fat  ! 
with  what  an  .  faction  he  heaved  up  the  huge  haul;. 

of  th.  ami  how  his  little  :;kled  through 

voluminous  and  rosy  masses  of  his  own  great 

"  I  give  it  up  !"    :  med    to  his  compan:"n-.      "  The 

no  wound   except   that   of   the  arrow,  and   it   has   fair!. 


134  KATII.UMNK    WALTON. 

•> 

through  the  h.>dy,  and  was  broken  liy  the  fall.  1  give  it  up! 
I  will  believe  anything  wonderful  that  you  may  tell  inc.  You 
may  all  lie.  to  me  in  safety.  1  have  no  more  doubts  on  any  sub 
ject.  Everything's  possible,  probable,  true  hereafter,  that  hap. 
pens.  But  that  you,  such  a  miserable  sapling  of  a  fellow  as  y<>u 
Lance,  should  have  sent  this  reed  through  such  a  beast  —  clean 
through  —  is  enough  to  stagger  any  ordinary  belief!" 

The  person  addressed,  a  tall,  slender  lad, apparently  not  more 

than  eighteen  or  nineteen,  laughed  good-naturedly,  as,  without 
other  reply,  he  thrust  forth  his  long,  naked  arm,  and  displayed, 
fold  upon  fold,  the  snaky  ridges  of  his  powerful  muscles. 

"  Ay,  I  see.  you  have  the  hone  and  sinew,  and  I  suppose  I 
must  believe  that  you  shot  the  deer,  seeing  that  Uarnett  gives  it 
up  ;  but  I  suppose,  you  were  at  butting  distance.  You  had  no 
Occasion  to  draw  bow  at  all.  You  used  the  arrow  as  a  spear,  and 
thrust  it  through  the  poor  beast's  vitals  with  the  naked  hand." 

"Shot  it,  I  swow,  at  lull  fifty-five  yards  distance!  I  stepped 
it  oft'  myself,"  was  the  reply  of  the  person  called  Uarnett. 

"  1  give  up  !  I  will  believe  in  any  weapon  that  brings  us  such 
meat.  Henceforth,  hoys,  take  your  hows  and  arrows  ah\ 
The  Indian  was  a  scnsihler  fellow  than  we  gave  him  credit  i»r 
I  never  could  have  believed  it  till  now;  and  when  Singleton 
took  it  into  his  head  to  supply  such  weapons  to  our  men,  for  the 
want  of  better,  I  thought  him  gone  clean  mad." 

"Yet  you  heard  his  argument  lor  it  ?"  said  Lance. 

"  No.  I  happen  to  hear  nothing  when  I  am  hungry.  1 
shouldn't  hear  you  now,  but  for  my  astonishment,  which  got  the 
better  of  my  appetite  for  a  few  moments.  I  will  hear  nothing 
further,  t'se  your  knife,  Lance  ;  lay  on,  boy,  and  let's  have  a 
steak  as  soon  as  possible." 

"  ShaVt  we  wait  for  the  colonel  ?"  said  Lance. 

"  J  wait  for  no  colonels.  I  consider  them  when  I  consider  i\\f 
core  (corps).  What  a  glorious  creature! — fat  an  inch  thick, 
and  meat  tender  ns  a  dove's  bosom!  Ah,  I  come  back  to  the 
OyprOM  a  new  man  !  ll'-re  I  am  at  home.  The  Santee  did 
well  enough;  but  there'--  a  sweetness,  a  softness,  a  plumpnes.-i. 
a  beauty  about  bird  and  beast  along  the  Ashley,  that  you  find 
in  the  same  animals  nowhere  <-\^(>.  d'<>d  bless  my  mother!" 


••  For  what,  in  particular,  lieutenant  ?" 

44  Thai  she  chose  it  for  my  hirthplace.  I  shouldn't  havo  beeil 
halt'  the  man  I  am  horn  anywhere  el.-e  ;  shouldn't  have  had 
such  discriminating  tastes,  such  a  line  appetite,  such  a  .sense  of 
(he  heautiful  in  nature." 

Ami  thus,  talking  ami  slashing,  the  corpulent  speaker  main- 
tained  the  most  nnflajrjrinp  industry,  until  tlie  deer  was  fairly 
((uaitered,  a  portion  transferred,  in  the  shape  of  steaks,  to  the 
reeking  coals,  and  the  rest  spread  out  upon  a  rude  scalloldi: 
undergo  the  usual  hunter-process  ot'  hein^  cured,  hy  smoking, 
for  future  use.  The  skin,  meanwhile,  was  subjected  to  the  care 
ful  cleansing  and  stretching  of  the  successful  hunter. 

And  then  the  whole  party  grouped  themselves  ahout  the  fire, 
e;»ch  husy  with  his  steak  and  hoe-cake.  There  \v ; ;is  the  rcdonht- 
ahle  Lieutenant  I'or^y,  and  the  youthful  ei. 

;dy  known  as  the  taker  of  the  prey,  and  little  .In,  v  Harm-It, 
and  others,  km»wii  hriefly  ns  Tom,  Dick,  and  Harry  ;  pud  others 
still,  with  their  -miin.s  <l>  -uch  as  Hard-Riding  Dick,  and 

Dusky  Sam,  and  Clip-the-Can,  and  Black   l'"\  .uir- 

rel  :    a  mt-rry  crew,  cool.  carele>s.  - 1-humored.  looking,  for  all 

the  world,  like  a  jrip.-y   encampment.      'I'lieir   costiiiue,  \\eap 
occupation  ;    the.  wild   and    not    ungraceful  ease  with  which    : 
threw  their  hu^e  frames  ahout  the  fire  ;    the  lire,  with    : 
<lrowsy  sim-kes  sl-.wly  ascending,  and  with  the  caprici«ms  jets  of 
wind  sweeping  it    to    and    fro   amidst   the.  circle  ;    and    the    silent 
«h»«:s,  three  in  niunher.  ^rouj>ed  at  the  fe<-t  of  their  masters,  their 
«rr«-at.  hri^ht  eves  wistfully  turned  uj-ward  in  momentary  expec 
tation  of  the  fragment  ;    all  contrihuted  to  a  picture  as  nniijuo  nB 
an\    one    mi^ht    h..  once   in    merry  old    Kn<_rland,   or,   to 

this  day,  .imoiij;  the  /incali  of  Il.eria. 

All.  this  is  life!"   said  Lieutenant  1'  i.im- 

nelf  anew  with  a  smoking  morsel  from  the  hissinp  coaN.      "  I  can 
live  in  alm«'>t  any  situation  in  which  man  can  live  at  all.  and  do 
not  ohject  to  the  feminine  lu\urie>  of  city  life,  in  lieu  of 
hut    there    i>   m>    n.^at    like    I 

of  which   hntrjreil    it    to    his   li\in^    !:i-art    three   houm  ago.      One 

in   the  open   air;    ami,  at  midnight,  under  the  treca,  a 

venison   steak    is   something   more   than    n.eat.       It    is   food    for 


136  KATIIAUm:    \V ALTON'. 

thought.  It  provokes  philosophy.  My  fancies  iise.  I  could 
spread  my  wings  for  Might.  1  could  sin^ — 1  feel  like  it  now  — 
and,  so  far  as  the  will  is  concerned,  I  could  make  such  music  as 
would  bring  the  very  dead  to  lite." 

And  the  deep,  sonorous  voice  of  the  speaker  began  to  rise, 
and  he  would  Iw  e  launched  out  into  some  such  music  as  the 
buffalo  might  be  supposed  to  send  forth,  happening  upon  a  fresh 
green  fiat  of  prairie,  but  that  Lance  Frampton  interposed,  in 
evident  apprehension  of  the  consequences. 

"Don't,  lieutenant;  remember  we're  not  more  than  a  mile 
from  the  river  road." 

"Teach  your  grandmother  to  suck  eggs  !  Am  I  a  fool?  Do 
I  look  like  the  person  to  give  the  alarm  to  the  enemy  I  Shut 
up,  lad,  and  be  not  presumptuous  because  you  have  shut  a  deer 
after  the  Indian  fashion.  Do  you  suppose,  that,  even  were  we 
in  safer  quarters,  I  should  attempt  to  sing  with  such  a  dry 
throat?  1  say,  Herd-Riding  Dick,  is  there  any  of  that  .Jamaica 
in  the  jug?" 

"It  is  a  mere  drop  on  a  full  stomach." 

"Bring  it  forth.     1  like  the  savor  of  the  jug." 

And  the  jug  was  produced,  and  more  than  one  calabash  was 
seen  elevated  in  the,  firelight;  and  the  drop  sufficed,  in  not  un 
equal  division,  to  improve  the  humor  of  the  whole  party. 

*'  The  supper  without  the  song  is  more  endurable,"  was  the 
philosophy  of  Porjry,  "than  the  song  without  the  supper.  With 
the.  one  before  the  other,  the  two  ^o  hcppUy  together.  Now  it 
is  the  strangest  thing  in  the  world  that,  with  such  a  desperate, 
desire  to  be  musical,  I  should  not  be  aide  to  turn  a  tune.  Hut 
I  can  act  a  tune,  my  lads,  as  well  as  any  of  you  ;  and,  as  we  are 
not  permitted  to  give  breath  to  our  desires  and  delights,  let  u.s 
play  round  as  if  we  were  singing.  V<m  shall  observe  me,  and 
take  up  the  chorus,  each.  !>«»  you  understand  me?" 

"  Can't  say  I  do,"  said   Futtrell.      "  Let's  hear." 

"You  were  always  a  dull  do^,  Luttrell,  though  you  are  a 
ginger.  Now,  look  you,  a  good  singer  or  a  <^ood  talker,  an  orator 
or  a  musician  of  any  kind,  if  he  knows  his  business,  articulates 
nothing,  either  in  smi^  or  sprrch.  that  he  does  not  luuk,  even 
while  he  speaks  or  sings.  Llo<|uence,  in  oratory  or  in  music 


implies  somethini:  more  than  ordinary  speech.    It  in 
<ir  Hirli  sentiments  and   fee!!-  -tir   uj»    tl 

that,  it'  we  feel    tin-  passion,  k  or 

'.  we  must  look  it  t<>n.      I),,  yon  understand  me  now  ?" 
••  I   'liiiik   I  do,"  was    the    slowly  uttered  i  ittrell, 

ooking  dubiously. 

••  Very  well.      7   take    it    that    all    the  rest  do,  then,  sin. 
;ire    about    the    dullest    clni:    amon£    D  thi  compliinei.- 

!ider.  "Now,  then,  I  am  •,'••!  n«:  to  sinir.  I  will  sinjr  an 
original  composition.  I  shall  first  begin  by  expressing  anxirtv, 
uneasiness,  distn-ss  ;  these  are  incipient  si^ns  of  luin«:er.  a  pain- 
i'nl  craving  of  the  l.owtds,  amounting  to  an  al.solnto  jrtxiwinir  of 
the  clainoi-uiis  inhabitants  within.  This  is  the  first  part,  continu 
ed  till  it  almost  heroines  despair;  the  music  then  chai;-.-.  1 
have  MM-?)  the  hoys  lu-in^in-j-  in  the  deer.  He  Kes  Leneath  mv 
knife.  I  am  prepared  to  slaughter  him.  I  feel  that  he  is  MCQre. 
1  -f««  that  he  will  soon  he  1. roiling  in  choice  hits  upon  the  tire. 
I  air.  iif)  longer  uneasy  or  appre!  \'.\\^  of  Mespair 

lias    j,  ,  .<,.,!.      All   is  now  Impe,  ami  exultation,  and  atiticijiation  ; 
and    this    is    the    sentiment  which    I    shall  express   in    t1 
part  of  the  music.      The  third  follows  the  1'ea-t.      Nature  is  ;, 
tied  ;    the  youii^  wolf-enhs  within    have  retired    to  their  kennels. 
They    sleep    without    a    dream,    and    a    philosophical    o.mp. 

the,  brain.      I  meditate  themes  of  happinex.       I   >prru- 
latr  upon  the  immortality  of  the  s«'i;l.     I  enter  into  an  analy- 
the  several  philosophies  of  poets,  prophets,  and  others,  in  relation 

to  the  employment*  and  enjoyments  of  the  future;  and  my  song 

subsides  into  a  pleasant  murmuring',  a  dreamy  s,Mt  (1f  ripple,  such 
made  by  a  mountain  brooklet,  when.  ':ie  tumb 

lings   from   cra<;   to    craLT.  it    sinks  ;,t   la>t   into  a  «|Uiet  and  1..-. 
MpsUlg  watercotu.se,  th:ou-h  a  gTOVO,  the  bor-!e;-s    nf  \\hieh    are 
crowded    with    tloweis   ,,f  r:  -hall 

be  my  si»ii£.      You  will  note  my  action,  and  f<.l!o\v  it.  by  w.i 
rhoms,  as  well  U  yo«  • 

All  profe-s.'d  to  be     *   loasl  ^'i!l 'n^  to  nndonUmd  him.  nnd 

our    philotopber    {•  an    actor       li 

talent  lay  in  the  n  ent  whicli  lie  n»w  jifpoged 

to  them.      He   has  bin  •  •  Vti  i  in 


138  KATHARINE    WALTON. 

ance  in  the  declared  design.  We  shall  not  attempt  to  follow 
him  ;  but  may  say  that  scarcely  one  of  those  wildly-clad  fores 
ters  but  became  interested  in  his  dumb  show,  which  at  length, 
became  so  animated  that  he  leaped  to  his  i'eet,  in  order  the  better 
to  effect  his  action,  and  was  only  arrested  in  his  performance  by 
striding  with  his  enormous  bulk,  set  heavily  down,  upon  the  ribs 
of  one  of  the  unlucky  dogs  who  lay  by  the  lire.  The  yell  that 
followed  was  as  full  of  danger  as  the  uttered  song  had  been,  and 
(piite  discomfited  the  performer.  His  indignation  at  the  mis 
placed  position  of  the  dog  might  have  resulted  in  the  wilful  ap 
plication  of  his  feet  to  the  offending  animal,  but  that,  just  then, 
the,  hootings  of  an  owl  were  faintly  heard  rising  in  the  distance, 
and  answered  by  another  voice  more  near. 

"  It  is  Moore,"  said  Lance  Kramptmi.  "  It  is  from  above. 
"We  shall  have  the  colonel  here  directly." 

"Let  him  come,"  was  the  response  of  I'orgy;  but  he  ifl  too 
Ute  for  the  music  That  confounded  dog  !" 


WOODCRAFT.  13W 


C1IA  1'TKR    XV 
WOODCRAFT. 

TlIK  object  of  the  signal  was  riirhtly  conjectured.      It  !•, 
Singleton.      Successive  hoots  of  tin'   owl  —  \vi  •  «•   of  tin* 

scouts  of  the  party — indicated    the  several    points    of  watch  l>y 
which  the  route  from  "  The  (  )aks"  to  the  place  of  refuse  had  ' 
guarded  ;    and    our    partisan    hail    no  reason    to   complain,  a: 
his  people,  df  any  neglect    of  duty.       He  uas  received  with  th«» 
frank  welcome  of  those  who  regarded  him   with  «Mjual 
and  afiection,  as  a  friend   and  comrade    no   less   than   a  >up. 
I  .Alice  Frampton  seixed    his  extended  hand  with  the  fm 

Milder  hrotl;er;  and  even  tlie  corpulent  IW^y.  in  hi>  saluta 
tion  of  weh-oinc-,  expressed  the  warmth  of  a  f.-elin^  of  which  he 
was  nowis«-  la\  i^-h  on  comm.  Supjier  had  1  ecu  IT- 

.  ••«!  fur  their   superior:    and  the  M  ;k.  east    r.]i»n    the 

coals   as   he   approached,   now   strenuously  set-muled,  l.y  its   rich 
odors,  the  in\  it;ition  of  his  followers  to  eat.  But  Singleton  licrlinrd. 

"Were  it  p«. «;!,!,.,   I   .sli,,Mld  i-ertainly  fall  to,  my  ^ond  fellow; 
for,  of  a  truth,  the  smokes  of  that  steak  are  much  m.-re  u'rateful 

to  my  nostril*  than  tin-  irell-dreMed  dial  ea  of  the  fasl  i< 

kitchen.      My  tastei  bllTC  1  ft     DM  H<»  much  accommodated  to  the 

tri/tl  jlaior  nf  the  wi.od.s,  in  almost    evrrythinj;,  ll. 

woods,  I    seem  to  hnve    no   ^reat    apjietite    t'-r   anythii 

and   drink   as  H   matter   of  c.iin>e,  and  \\ith    too    little    re!i>h   to 

remark oo  anything,     Had  I  not  al;.  >ul«i 

need  no  exhortation  heyond  that  of  the  venisnn  itstdf. 

I  have  no  time.      I    must    hurrv  hack   to   the   settlement  A8  sooo 

M  possible." 

"You   must    certainly  fasti-  (,f  the    rreat.  cnl-,uel,"  wan  the  re- 


M<>  K.  \THAi:  INK    VYAI.TuN. 

sponsc   of  Porgy,  "  if   only   beeau-e  of  tin-  manner  in  which  it  was' 
killed  —  with  how  and  arrow." 

"  Indeed  !      \Vlio  was  the  hunter  7  " 

"Lance:  Von  know  I  laughed  when  you  spoke  of  how*  ami 
arrows  for  our  men.  I  confess  I  thought  ii  monstrous  foolish  to 
adopt  such  weapons.  Hut  I  am  beginning  to  respect  the  weapon. 
What  put  you  in  the  notion  of  it,  colonel  ~: ' 

'  \Ve  had  neither  shot  nor  powder,  if  you  recollect.  What 
was  lo  lie  dune  ?  The  Indians  slew  their  meat,  and  fought  fatal 
battles  witli  these  weapons  hefoiv  the  coming  of  the  white 
people.  The  French  and  Spanish  narrative  describes  them  as 
lighting  fiercely,  and  frequently  cutting  oIV  the  whites  with  no 
other  weapons,  (if  the  elVect  of  the  arrow  in  good  hands,  his 
tory  gave  us  numerous  and  wonderful  examples.  The  Knglish 
in  time  of  Henry  the  Seventh,  slew  with  the  clothyard  shaft 
at  fnnr  hundred  yards." 

"  Impossible  !  " 

"True,  no  douht.  In  the  time  of  Henry  the  Eighth  it  was 
considered  an  efficient  weapon  at  two  hundred  and  fifty  yards. 
Fighting  with  the  French  and  Spaniards,  the  Indians  could 
drive  an  arrow  through  a  coat  of  escaupi!  —  stulTed  cotton  — so 
as  to  penetrate;  fatally  the  breast  which  it  covered  ;  and  some 
<.f  their  shafts  wen-  even  found  eflicient  when  aimed  against  a 
coat  of  mail.  With  such  evidence  of  the  power  of  the  weapon, 
its  ii^e  ne\er  should  have  been  abandoned  Certainly,  where 
we  had  neither  shot  nor  powder,  nor  muskets,  it  was  the  proper 
weapon  for  our  hands.  There  would  then  have  been  no  reason 
for  one"  half  of  our  people  to  wait  in  the  woods,  during  an  action 
until  their  comrades  should  be  shot  do\\n,  iH-fore  they  could  find 
the  means  of  doing  mi-chief  by  pos-es-ing  themselves  of  the 
weapons  of  the  fallen  men.  IJov.  s  and  arrow-.,  well  handled, 
would  have  been  no  had  suhslituti  s  for  muskets.  In  the  hands 
ir  people,  accustomed  to  take  sure  aim.  they  would  have 
been  much  more  ellicient  than  the  mu»ket  in  the  hands  of  the 
raw.  unpractised  Kn-lishman  ;  while  made  of  p«'l«  -. 

well  sharpened  and  seasoned  in  the  lire,  would  have  been, 
like  the  pikes  of  the  Swiss,  quite  equal  to  the  bayonet  at 
any  time.  These  are  weapons  with  which  we  might  always 


DC'KAFT.  1  H 

.1   a  country  of  such  pent   natural  advantages  for  war  a* 
ours." 

"  There  's  reason  in  it,  surely." 

"  Hut  the  nrpiments  in  In-half  of  the  how  and  arrow  arc  "not 
••\hausted.  In  the  first  place,  you  can  never  p-t  out  of  ammu 
nition.  The  wood*  everywhere  ahound  in  shafts;  and,  in  a 

Ifl  ni^ht,  a  s<piad  of  sharp-shooters  may  pr- 
tweek'l  campaign   and    daily  fighting.      We: 
damage  your  ammunition.      A    shaft    once   delivered   is   not  !.•>:. 
It    may  he    recovered    and   shot   a   do/en    times;    and    it    ifl   let! 
hurdensome,  as  a  load,  to   carry  a  Low  and   sixty  arrows   than  a 
pun  with   as  many  hullets.      Tin*    arrow    u     sped    .silently  t 
mark.      It  makes  no  report.      It   flies  unseen,  like  the  j  • 
\>y  niurht.      It  tells  not  whence  it  cm: 
a  piide  to  any  answering  \\eap"ii.      Against  cavalry  i; 
Urly  eflicient.      The  \\ound  fmin   an   arrow,  which  still 
the  side  of  the    horse,  will    absolutely  madd.-n    him,  and    he  will 
he  totally  unmanageable,  rushing,  in  all  prohahility,  on  his  own 
columns,  deranging   their  order,  and    sending  disn:. 
infantry.      In    regard   to   the    repeated  u>e  of  UTOW,   I 

remind   you  of  the    fact    that   the  French  in    I'lmv 
LatldonnierOi  were   compelled,  in  some  of  their   1  1 
with  the  red    men,  to  stop   ii^htinp  at   BV<  !e  chain, 

order  to  gather  up  and  hreak  the  arrows  u  hich  had 
livened.  I  need  not  say  what  an  advantage  such  a 
would  afford  to  an  as-ailing  party." 

"  I    hepn  to  re.-peet   the   weapon.'  "  I    vhai 

tise  at   it  my. self.      1   already  feel  like  a   Parthian." 

"The    greatest    sec  ret ,"  coist  inued    Singleton,  "  in    the    D 
the  how.  sreni>  to  consist  in  dj'awin^  the  arrow  to  its  head.    Thin 

t  of  the   Kn-lMi,  and    mu>t    have    heen  of   all 
ren  nikal'le    hown  •  :  .      '1  Q  do   this,  the  arrow  must    he 
the  ri-ht  ear.      It    is   then  delivered  with 
this  requires  erjually  sleight  and    stren^rt!).      The  !'• 
of  the.  Kast,  the  I talians.  and  the  pMitle.  timid 

of  Cuba,  ami  of    Tern,  seem  to    !  .•"\«>   drawn    the  \^  -  the 

ladit1^  do,  only  to  the  hreast.      T 
the  f.rre  one  half       Hut  }  "U    n. 


J12  KATII.UUXK    WALTON. 

of  you.  when  you  have  nothing  more  pressing  on  hands,  so  as  tc 
make  sure  of  the  hutts  at  a  hundred  yards.  That  will  answei 
for  us  If  thiti  war  is  to  last  two  years  longer,  as  I  suppose  it 
wifl,  \ve  shall  have,  no  other  ammunition  to  rely  upon.  We 
must  take  our  hows  from  the  savages,  and  our  pikes  from  tbe 
Swiss." 

There  was  some  little  more  conversation,  which,  like  that  re 
ported,  forms  no  part  of  the  ahsolute  husiness  of  our  narrative. 
Hut  Singleton  was  not  the  person  to  waste  much  time.  It  was 
important,  he  thought,  to  raise  tl<<-  estimate  of  the.  how  and  ar 
row  among  his  followers,  deeming  it  highly  probable,  not  only 
that  the  weapon  i;;ight  he  made  very  ellicient  even  in  mode.ni 
warfare,  hut  that  it  might  he  the  only  one  left  to  them  lor  future 
use.  The  partisans  of  Carolina,  during  the  struggle  lor  the 
recovery  of  the,  Mate,  very  seldom  went  into  action  with  more 
than  three  rounds  to  the  man. 

"And  now.  Lance,"  said  Singleton,  "a  few  words  with  you." 

lie  led  him  aside,  from  tli"  reM 

"  Do  you  hring  me  -iny  letters?" 

"  None,  sir;    the  colonel    had    no  time  for  writing,  and  m.  .-oiT 

reuion 

'••  Where  did  you  leave,  him  ?" 

"  On  the  Kdisto." 

-  West  side  ?" 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  Had  tlie  negroes  all  come  in  ?" 

"All,  sir,  hut  one  —  a  young  fellow  named  Aaron,  whom  he 
thinks  must  have,  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  or  run  off 
to  them,  lie  has  sent  them  on"  for  the  Santee,  under  the  charg" 
of  Lieutenant  Davis,  with  an  escort  of  ten  men." 

"  How  'lues  he  recruit  ?" 

"  Well.  Mr,  he  got  nineteen  men.  along  the  Kdisto,  and  li fleer, 
drought,  their  own  rilles.  His  force  is  now  forty-live,  not  fount- 
ing  »ur  pj-opie.  who  \\ill  soon  join  us.  He  had  a  hrnsh  with  a 
party  of  tones,  under  Lem  Waters  ;  killed  three,  and  took  seven. 
He.  thinks  of  making  a  push  for  the  Savannah,  where  there  i§ 
one  Major  Fulton,  with  a  p-'uiy.  He  will  then  come  hack  to 
tLw  KdiM".  and  peiliaps  M-.iiit  alioiit  the  Ashley  in  hopes  of 


i:  \IT.  1  i:; 

pit-kin:,'  up  a  train   of  wagOOS,      H«     is  mightily   in   \\anl   ..!"    ; 
and  hall.  and  lirir*  ilia!  \«m  \\ill   -end  him  all  you  h:i\«-  : 

II'      11111st    look    tn     til.-     h,,\V     ;,|,,1      ;,;  • 

n.     Still.  I    am    in    boptt    I"  iiir.ir    f«T  him,    if    my 

:,irns   out    \vcll.       Hut   even  thin-    is   douhlfu!   yd. 
Did  y<>u  irrt  any  tidin-s  alt-ui:  the  n 

•hini:     mu.-h,    sir.       Tin-     country's     n  .  r\  \\here. 

ii"\v  CM  tin-  other  ;  and    I    I. 

\\here  <>f  small  parties.  -raiheriMLr  up  cattle  ami  pr- 

The    examination    \vas    still    further    pursued  ;      1  !i    has 

-lid    to    show     the     whereabouts    and     the    pel  format 
•I    Walton,  which   were  the  chief    o!,j«  ;  (etOO       The 

CD    ivjoined    the  n-t  ;    and.    :  iiivtniclions 

Uld SUggesdong,  SingletOD    led   Lieutenan;   P  mmuni 

catc  his  more  private  \\  iv 

"At     tuclve     tomorrow,"     >aid    he.    "I     expcd     to    IT    in    the 

••rhood    of    ilie    Ki-jliih  Mill-  ami    (Quarter  11.. u~.        At 
other   of    the-e    pl;n-«-.    Cud    \\iilii!-.    !    hope    to    he    at    that    hour. 
I     \M'-!I    you     to    (Toss    the     river     \viil:  ly,    ami    >helUT 

rei  i:i    tin-    v-A.-imp  !',,rev|  alon-  the  h.•^^i^ 

out    \\ith    instructions    \tt  k<  ep  \\atch    upon    l.oth    the    (^u.-irt. 
Mile     11.  UM  .       A    <  ouple    of  (  hosen     men.    ijuirk   am! 
si-hted,    mu-t     he    \\ithiii    hearin-,    luit    clofle,    in    the    thicUct    of 
I /anl  s  camp.      Should   they    hear  a  tripple    i.la-J  of   my    hom.uilli 
and   then   another   h!a-t,    let    :  :;|i    all 

spc«-d.    to    the   point    from   \\hich    I   sound.       I.,  t    them    • 

'1    a>   In-.-:.  .  .ml   see    that    their    ;  lit    for 

service.      Hut    on    no    account    let    them    dMurli  :n...  ali'ii.ir 

the   roiiti-. 

"  Suppose  a  convoy  for  I  ><  •!< -In -!•  i  .  tinder  8  -mail  miard?  " 

it   |>a.s.s  \\jtlniiit    disturhance.  and   let   th«  m  not    >ln.\v    them 
on  an\   pretext,  or  \\ith  any  temptation   in  tir 
they  ],  Mai." 

"W(  -u-lv  ill  want  of  e\er\thi 

horn,  and  half  a  do/en   <-r  ado/en    Lulhts.  t..  each    man.  is  ., 

Silt  i^   •.•  •  d 

"  1  '  know     all     your    \\aiits.    and    I 
hut    I     have    ohjects  in    \ie\\    of    .still   m.-re    iinp.,r  i    they 


1  1-1  K  A  THAI:  INK   WALTON. 

inu>t  not  he  perilled  even  to  supply  our  deficient  i.-.  I.et  these 
instructions  he  closely  followed  lieutenant  if  you  please.  1  shall 
probably  find  an  opportunity  of  seeing  and  speaking  with  you,  in 
the  evening,  on  my  return  route  to  Dorchester," 

"  Do  you  venture  there  again  ?  " 

"There,  or  •  to  the  Oaks!'" 

14  la  there  anything  more,  Colonel  Singleton,  in  the  way  of 
instructions?" 

••  Nothing." 

"Then  let  me  have  a  word,  colonel;  and  you  will  excuse  me  if  I 
speak  quite  as  much  as  a  friend  as  a  subordinate. " 

11  .My  dear  I 'orgy " 

"  Ah,  colonel " 

11  Let  me  say,  once  for  all,  that  I  regard  you  as  a  comrade 
aluays,  and  this  implies  as  indulgent  a  friendship  as  comports 
with  duty." 

"Do  I  not  know  it?  I  thank  you!  I  thank  you  from  the 
bottom  of  my  heart!— and  I  have  a  heart.  Singleton  — by 
Apollo,  L  have  a  heart,  though  the  rascally  dimensions  of  my 
stomach  may  sometimes  interfere  with  it.  And  now  to  the 
matter.  1  am  concerned  about  you.  lam." 

•'  How-" 

"  Asa  suldier,  and  a  brave  one,  of  course  you  know  that  you 
are  liable  to  I.,-  killed  at  any  moment.  A  wilful  bullet,  a  sweep 
ing  sword  >troke.  or  the  angry  push  of  a  rusty  bayonet,  in  bad 
hands,  may  disturb  as  readily  the  function  of  the  bowels  in  a 
colonel  as  in  u  lieutenant.  F«T  either  of  these  mischances,  the 
ional  soldier  is  supposed,  at  all  times,  to  be  prepared; 
and  1  believe  that  W(  <  to  our  duties  without  gi\ing  much 

heed  U)  tfa  <  "ntingi  ncies  that  belong  to  them." 

"I  am  sure  that  //"'/,  do,  lieutenant." 

"Call  me  I'oi-y.  colonel,  if  you  please,  while  we  speak  of 
matters  a-ide  from  bu»ine-s.  If  I  am  proud  of  anything,  it  is 
of  the  affection-  of  HIO.M-  whom  I  esteem." 

<  -  : 

"  Now,  my  dear  colonel,  that  you  should  die  by  a  bullet,  broad 
sword,  or  bayonet,  is  nothing  particularly  objectionable,  consid 
ering  our  vocation.  It  may  be  something  of  an  inconvenience  to 


vrooix  i;  \  I  i. 

you    physically;    lint    it    is  nothing    tli:il    y<>ur    friend-    sh<.uld    have 
to     he     ashamed     of.      But    to     «lic    hy     tin-     halter,    ('i>l<>nel 

a    knitted    handkerchief    of   hemp — to 

the    knot    beneath    the     left    tar  —  throwing    the     head    a\\k\\anllv 
on    the   opposite    side,    inMe;"!  :;ILT     it    with    the     Adam's 

apple  —  to  IK-  made   the    fruit   of   the  tree  against    the    nature  (if  the 
tree — to    be    hitched   into  :u  d  tinil"  • 

,th  of  a  dotr.  after  living  the  life  of  a  man        this 
sir.    would    lie  a   -u!>  at    humiliation  to    all    your    friends, 

and    must,  I    take  it,   be  a  subject  of  painful  consideration  to  your 

"  Very  decidedly.  I'or-v,"  was  the  reply  of  the  oilier,  with  a  good- 
natured  laii.irh. 

"  Why    will    you    incur  the    dangers    of    such   a     fat>  I 

what    your    friends     have    a     rLrht    to    a-k.      Why     p;/ 
bound.   M    it    were,    haiul    and    foot,    in    the    krepini:  of    tin 
Philistines,  wlio    would    truss  you    up    at   any    moiin  • 
swin^ini;  limh  \\ith  as  little  IT  morse   as  the  male  .  \hiliits 

wh''ii    he  s\\  allows    a    liecatomli  of    his  o\\  n    kidney.      Why 
al      Dorehefter,  with   this   dan-cr    perjK-tually 

you     in    the     face  ?      Tin  !«•     aiv     fe\\     n,,  Q 
and    the    place   is   badly    iruaided.      The  force    at    i' 
is  not    so    irreat    but    that,   with  Col.    \\alton's    sijuadn  : 
attempt    it.       Say    the    word,    and,    in    !  h.-ur-.    v. 

harry  Imih  hoi^e^  ;   and  if  must  be  done   ! 

thebenelit   of   '  The  (  >  .tier.  why.  in    <;..,!'«.  name,  let 

JJriti-h  '',!!•  -  invtr;id  •  AH.      1   mi^ht    : 

suadeil.  in    the    ca<e   of    one  of   these    bloody    heathens,  to   think    the 
y  one,      Hi;'    i  :un  a  living 

man.  ii  would  tak«-  awa\    my  app«-li'- 

ile  the  da' 

a     bit        I     tell     \.ni  -    de»- 

Their    cruellie-   are   i..  :dy  .    and    for  thi-%  reason, 

that      th«-\     find     the    stale     ui  :        So    loiiir    a«    there    i*   A 

sinirle  squad  like  our-  between  the    I'cdee  and     the  Sa\ai.: 
is    there    a    hope    for    us   ami   a   hate    for    them.      Hear    to    n 
one!,  and  i-euan-  :     Th.  re  is  d.-adl>   p.  ril  in  the  risks  uh; 

take." 


111!  K  \  TIIAUNK   WALTON. 

"Iknow  that  thriv  is  risk,  1'nriry  ;  hut  then-  are  great  gains  de 
pending  upon  these  risks,  and  they  muM  be  undertaken  by  sc  mebody. 

Our  spies  undertake  such  ri.sks daily." 

"  A  -p\  H  a  spy,  colonel,  and  nothing  but  a  spy.  He  was  born  t<> 
a  sp\  'a  lift1  and  a  spy's  destiny.  He  knows  his  nature  ami  the  end  nf 
his  creation,  and  he  i^oes  {••>  his  end  as  to  a  matter  of  obliga 
tion.  He  includes  the  price  of  the  halter,  and  the  inconvenience 
•insulation,  in  the  amount  which  he  charges  for  the  duty 
to  be  done.  Hut  we  \vlio  get  no  pay  at  all,  and  fight  for  the 
fun  and  the-  freedom  of  the  thing  only—there's  no  obligation  upon 
us  to  attune  the  duty  (»f  another,  at  ihe  risk  of  making  a  bad 
picture,  and  feeling  uncomfortable  in  our  last  moments.  Mo  law  of 
duty  can  exact  of  me  that  I  shall  not  only  die,  but  die  of  rope,  mak 
ing  an  unhandsome  corse,  with  my  head  awfully  twisted  from  the 
centre  of  gravity,  where  only  it  could  lie  at  <  a^e  !  My  dear  colonel, 
think  of  this  !  Say  the  word  !  and  light,  scout,  or  only  scrimmage, 
we'll  share  all  risks  v.ith  you,  whether  the  word  be  '  Oaks'  or '  Dor 
chester  '  " 

"The  peril  will  be  soon  ov.  r.  IWgy.     Three  days  w  ilu-nd  it,  in  all 
probability;  and,  in   that  time,  the  same  prudence  which  Sias  kept  me 
ion-  will  probably  prevail  to  s-  cure  meto  the  end.     Have  no  fears 
—and  do  i!»!  for-et  that  you  can  always  strike  in  at  the  last  moment. 
Your-  all  that  goes'on,  and.  in  a  moment   of  dan.-' 

know  the  signal." 

"B€  i'  BO!  we're  ready!  Still  I  could  wish  it  otherwise. 
lint,  by  the  way,  talking  of  what  we  see,  there's  something  that 
Host  wick  has  to  tell  you.  He  was  stationed  between  'The 
Oak- 'and  '  I  >orchester '  during  the  afternoon,  and  came  in  s,i,m 
after  dark.  Here,  IJi.stwirk  !  "  and  ji^tlie  fellow  came  out  of  the 
front  to  the  place  where  the  two  had  been  col.versinir,  ' 
continued  : 

"The  colonel  \\ants  to  hear  of  you  what  took  place  between  the 
commandant  of  the  post  of  Dorchester,  Major  Yaii.dian.  and  the 
chunk  1  fellow,  whom  you  did  not  know." 

wick  told    hi-    stnry.  which    was    brielly   this.      He    liad    MOD 

Vani/haii    ride   toward     "The     Oaks."     and    saw    him    returning    to 

-ter     '}\i-\     before    ilark.       \\'hen     within     a    mile    of     "The 

Oak      '     Vau.-han    drew    up     and     dismounted,     leading    his    hor.se. 


WOODCRAFT,  I  I  ', 

a>ide  from    tin-  road   ami  close   t<>  the  thicket    in  \\liirh  l',,i-i  u  j(  k   lu\- 

tied.      Hi  re  he  \\  a-  -oon  joim-d  by  a  "  rum  iky  ml  faced  fellow,  ' 

Bribed    him,  and  a  eon\<  r-atioii  of  -e\eral    minutes 

tookj'  11  the  two,  a  portion  of  which  onlj  MigiMe 

to  tin-  scout.     The   name-   of    Proctor   ami    Furm-— .    h" 
several   times  mentioned  by  both    parties;  and  Yaunh  \\as  evidently 
inuch    interested    in  the  subject.      At  length,   th--  stranuvr,  whom  he 
called     ".!ohn,"     -ave    him    two    letters,    or    folded     papers.    \\hich 

ill    opened     and     read     eairerly.      Ho-tui.k     heard     hi: 
distinctly: 

"The-e,  .lolm.  are  v«-ry  important.      I  n«.w  ne  Wl 
kno\\le«lLre.      Find    me  nunv  of  tlie-e  paper-.  .I..hn.      He  must    have 
other-.     These  do  not   tell  all,  yet  he  km  :ii,>l:hei, 

tin-  watch  when  he  receives  a  ne\\ 
••  Y..II  will    irive    them    hack    to   me,"  >aid   .lolm.  "  now  that  you 

'•ail  them." 

i'cs,  when  1  have  copied   them.      You  shall   have  tliem  lo-nior 
row.      You  say  that  he  shoued  these  p:i:  I'tain  Furn- 

ur  honor;   luit    he   had   them   on   the   bed>id. 
they  talked  together.      1  saw  them  through  the  keyhole." 

••With   that."   continued    IJoMuick.    "the   major  took  a  pi 
t^cihl   iiuuiuy  from   his   jxu-ket   and  dropped    it   boide   him  %\  1 

The  (>th,  r  -tooped  and  picked  it  up.  and  offend  it  to  the 
major,  who  -aid.  •  Keep  it  for  \our  ho.ie-t^  .  .li-hn.'  They  had  some 
thing  more  to  -ay.  but  I  couldn't  make  it  out,  though  I  listened  hard, 
thinking  it  mi-lit  con-arn  you.  n.l..nrl.  After  that,  the  major 
mounted  ami  put  olT,  and  1  tracked  the  other  hack  to  •  Tin  • 

:  in  ji-t  when  you  returned  from  riding  with  M 
"Thank  you.  lin-t \\iek  MIC   me:u-\  ru   me. 

You  a:  -ellow.  and  thoiiirh  I  have  m>  ^..Id   pieces  to  drop  for 

your  benefit,  y  1  for  your  him. 

The  hush. •  •••hoi  which  brought    him  !••  the  eiicauipnu-nt 

of   his  follower-,  the  fan-uell  of   Sin-li -toji  \\a-  m>  Mich  formal  leave 
taking    :is    tlistinu'ipshrs  the   military    martinet.      It     \\a^   th- 
tionate  farewell  of  coinraih  .-.  \\ln>  felt  that    th-  .Mini; 

friend  rather  than  a  super 


i48  KATIIAKINi:    WALTOJf. 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

HOW   TO    I'l.A  Y    WITH    KNAVES. 

OUR  partisan  returned,  without  being  discovered,  to  the  mansion 
house  at  "The  Oaks,"  and  reached  his  room  in  silence.  Hewa- 
soon  asleep,  for.  with  a  mind  at  ease  and  habits  .if  physical  activity, 

iieep  ts  never  slow  to  bring  us  the  needful  succor.    In  the  morning 

he  was  ii])  betimes  and  soon  made  his  way  to  the  chainlier  of 
Proctor,  who  still  slept — the  unsatisfactory,  uneasy  sleep  of  anxiety 
and  apprehension.  Singleton  had  already  thought  of  what  he  should 
do  and  say  in  regard  to  the  iv\»  lalion  which  he  felt  that  it  \\a-  06060' 
sary  to  make  to  his  new  companion.  There  was  .some  dilliculty  in 
accounting  for  the  information  he  hail  acquired,  touching  the  faith- 
of  Proctor's  srr\  ant,  John;  Imt  our  jiartisan  had  discuss,  d 
the  matter  calmly  in  his  own  mind,  and  had  come  to  the  conclusion 
that  Proctor  should  hear  of  the  important  fact,  without  being  suffered 
to  ask  for  an  authority.  This  reservation  in  the  case  of  a  man  of 
character  and  good  MOM  like  Singh-ton  was  not  a  matter  of 
dilliculty. 

The  treacherous  servant,  knowing  his  master's  habits  of  late 
rising,  was  absent.  Singleton  ascertained  this  fact  before  pro 
ceeding  to  Proctor's  chamber.  He  thought  it  not  improbable 
that  John  had  gone  to  a  meeting  with  Vauglian,  with  the  \ie\v 
to  the  seasonable  recovery  of  the  letters;  and,  possibly  to 
receive  instructions  for  the  future.  It  was  important  to  avail 
himself  of  his  absence,  the  better  to  effect  his  exposure.  The 
liritish  major  was  somewhat  surprised  to  find  Singleton  in  his 
chamber. 


\\  h\  .  what's  the  matter.  FI,  MI  devilNi  -lad  t<>  -ce  y«.u; 

lull  vv  hy 

1    i  .  !      .  •. .  you  directly  after  breakfast,  and  had  sometii 

sav  to  v  ou  in  private.  whi<h    i  regard  as  of  moment  in  v  our-<  If.  par 
ticularly  at  this  juncture." 
"Ali1    but  whither  •: 

'.  »w.    to    inert     with     (l.neral     Willianisiui.    at     the    (Quarter 
' 

•  And  what's  this  hu-ii,. 

"I  have  made  a  little  di-covery.  Proctor,  but  cannot  now  inform 
you  in  what  manner  I  have  made  it,  nor  who  are  my  authorities. 
On  thi<  point,  you  mu-t  a>k  me  n<>  question-,  for  I  shall  certainly 
an-wt  r  none.  In  fact,  a  little  secret  of  my  ov\  n  is  involved  in  the 
matter,  and  this  must  make  you  content  with  what  I  shall  IM-  willing 
to  disclose,  lint  you  will  lose  nothing.  All  that  i-  ini|>ortaiii 
shall  Iw  told,  and  it  n:  you  when  I  a--ure  you  solemnly  that 

it  comes  from  the  most   uiKjuotioiiable  soiin  i  -.      YOU   may  sa: 
•  all." 

On    your  own   condition-,  then.      I    have   the   utmost 
faith  in  your  a— ura- 

"  I  thank  you;  and,  first,  can  you  let  m<  iwo  h  tiers 

of  your  aiionymoii-  correspondent ':  " 

iiul    1'roctor   leajidl    mil   of   U-.I.   threw  mi   hi 

ifi      fin i  Mch      his      ,  The     It  tters 

\\eiv    not     forthcomiiiLr.  His    trunks    were    next    overhaulid,    hi> 

—  case.    t!.  of    his   rout  —  they    wne    now  h.  re    to    be 
found. 

"I    am   satistied,"   said  Singleton;    "I    fe,  1   sure  that  you) 

"  I     must     have    taken     them     with     me.    and     left    ti. 
stall-." 

.   they  are  in  the  hand-  of  Vaii^'han.  yo  , 
"  How  '      What  mean  yOUT"  <h  inanded  the  other. 

i.  ton     then    related    \vhat     he    had     heard    of     the     int. 
between    Vau-han   and   the   fdl..w   John,    a-    r,.-twi(k    • 
suppr.  e,  all    the   .  •    of   information; 

hut  othervvi-r  withholdin-   n..tl.  ;..r  was  in  a  rage  of  indig 

nation. 


150  KATIIAIMN  i: 

"Fooi  that  I  wa-:  and  I  saw  nothing;  I  -u-pected  nothing; 
and  this  execrable  scoundrel  lias  been  a  spy  upon  my  footsteps. 
Heaven  knows  how  Ion-'  lint  I  shall  have  the  satisfaction, 
before  I  send  him  adrift,  of  reading  him  such  a  lesson  with  the 
horse-whip  as  shall  he  a  perpetual  endorsement  to  his  back  and  char 
acter." 

"  You  will  do  no  such  thinir.  Proctor,"  said  Singleton,  coolly, 
while  goin^  to  the  door  and  looking  out  upon  the  pa»aLre.  It  was 
clear,  and  he  returned. 

"Dress  yourself  at  once.  Proctor,  and  come  with  me  to  my  cham 
ber.  It  is  more  secure  from  eavesdroppers  than  this  apartment. 
And,  lir>t,  let  me  entreat  that  you  will  bridle  your  anger;  and,  above 
all.  sull'er  not  this  fellew  to  see  or  to  sus|icrt  it.  Let  me  exhort  you 
to  beuin,  from  this  moment,  the  labor  of  self-restraint.  Yoursucce-> 
in  extricating  yourself  from  the  dilliculty  in  which  you  stand,  will 
be  found  in  the  adoption  of  that  marble  like  coldness  of  character 
which  really  confers  so  much  strength  upon  your  enemy.  You  must 
be  cool,  at  least,  and  silent  too.  Come,  hasten  your  dres-ini;,  for  I 
have  much  to  siy,  and  shall  have  little  time  to  say  it  in  before 
breakfast." 

Proctor  already  deferred  to  the  prompt,  cncriretie  and  clear-headed 
character  of  Singleton.  He  stared  at  him  a  moment,  and  then  pro 
ceeded  to  obey  him.  His  ioilet  \\  as  as  quickly  made  as  possible, 
and  they  \\eiv  >o«.n  in  Sinirlrlon's  chamber.  The  latter  then 
renewed  the  subject,  and  centimied  his  counsels  in  the  following 
fashion: — 

"  You  have  lived  Imi^  enough,  my  dear  I'rr«-tor.  in  our  south 
ern  country,  to  know  something  of  the  rattlesnake.  If  you  have 
<-ver  had  OCC.-MOM  to  walk  into  our  wo«  ds  of  a  summer  ni^ht, 
and  to  have  -nddrnly  heard  the  rattle  sounded  near  you.  you 
can  very  well  conceive  the  terror  which  such  a  sound  will  in 
spire  in  the  boM.m  of  ;tny  man.  It  is  a  present  mid  a  pn --in-- 
danger,  but  you  know  not  from  what  quarter  to  expect  the  blow. 
The  riniriiiLT  seems  to  iro  on  all  around  JTOU.  x-'«'''i  fanev 
Keif  in  a  very  n»-t  of  snake--;  and  you  are  fixed,  fro/en,  expect 
ing  your  death  every  moment,  yet  dread  to  attempt  your  escape 
—  dread  to  lift  a  foot  lest  you  pro\<>ke  the  bite  \\hich  is  mortal. 
It  is  the  very  inability  to  fare  the  enemy,  to  see  where  he  lies 


H<)\\     T«>    1'I.A^     WITH     KN  |  1  T,  1 

in  ambush,   tliat   i>  the  chief  occasion  of   your  terror.     C..uM    you 
see    him  —  could    you    look    mi    him    \\heiv    hr    li,-v       though 
almost    at    your    feet,    head    thrown    hack,     jaws   wide,    fan 
truded.    and   eyes   hla/im:.  a>   it    \\ere.  with    a  coppery    luslr. 
would  have   no  apprehensions  —  he  would,  in  fact,  he   hannl> 

•ilil  survey  him  at  your  leisure,  and  knock  him  quietly  on  the 
»  BOOB  a*  y  OU  had    satisfied   your  curio-ity.      | 
a>  particularly  fortunate  that   you   have  di-(  -oven-d.  in  this  ii 
where  your  chief   «l:r  :  your  enemy.      You   know 

where  he  is.      You  know  through  what    apucy    he  work-,  and   notli 
'lian  to  keep  your  eye  upon   him.  follow  him   in  all 
bis  Windings,  and    cru<h    him  with   your   In  el   at    the  most  fa- 
moment.     Your  man  John  is  the  pilot  to  your   rattl.    •      .         You  an- 
yn.l.!,l,ly  aware   that    the  rattleMiake    ha^    hi-   pilot  .  a-  the  .hark  hi-. 
and  the  lion  hi- 
••  N  if  | 

•:    and   ><>   far   from  showing  yourx  If    an>:ry   with   this 

<:<>od     f<-llow    John,   W'hoM-    lielievoleix  -e    i-    Mich    that    he    would    M-r\r 

-so  far  from  diMiiis>ini:  him  with  the  horsewhip  —  your 
policy  i-  not    even   to  let    him   know  what  you    have  di-(  ..\en  d.      He 
will    prolalily    brini:    Imrk    tlu-e    letters  quieily,  and  you  will  find 
them,    afti-r   you    return    from    breakfast,     in    the    projx-r   |>! 
your  iftf  rif»ir;  and  NOU  will   show    yoiir-elf  quite  a-   un-:. 


"And  keep  the  fellow  still  in  my  BOTTl 

•«•  viire.  for  Ihe  best  of  reaaODSl     Through   him  you  in 

able  to  ajcertain  the  game  of  his  employer.     l',\  him  you  will  pn.i. 

ably  trace  out    the  winding  of  his   .  IV,-.      You  will  simjily 

laki-  i  in  Jo  put  no  important  se<  rets  in  Ids  u 

"  P.ut    he   has   !  n,,  ,\>t\i\,i  trunk  ai.  I 

that   I  ha\. 

"M08(    probably,    and    you    will    suffer  him   to  /,,/,  tliem;    only 
me  other  hidii  \s  hi<  Ii 

you    are  sec-iirr    that    i  no    key.    --imply    breaii-e   "1"   : 

noraiK  e   of  tl)r    hidii  <  >rdinary  i    \\ill  put  away 

in     the     old     places     as     b.  !    :•  \ 

t«>  know    this  handwriting      uhi«-h    \«-ii    «!«»    IH-I 

|,y    put  tin-    otln-r  MM    in    his  way. 


152  K.\ THAI; FNI:  WALTON. 

Imitate  the  hand  occasionally —  write  yourself  a  few  billetsdoiix 
now  and  then  —  and  yon  ma;.  little  -chemps  for  inter 

views  between  yoursdt   and  the  unknown  fair  one,  upon  which  your 
•  •xccllent   fellow  .John  will   maintain  a  certain  waK'h:  and  /, 
maintain  your  watch  <>n  him.     It  is  now  certain,  from  what  Yauphan 
id,    that   the  handwriting   is   known   to  him,    and   that    jt   is  a 
woman's  ! " 

"  But  the  wearisome  toil  of  such  a  watch  —  the  annoying  feeling 
that  you  have  such  a  rascal  about  you." 

"Very  annoying,  doubtless,  and  troublesome;  but  it  is  one  of 
those  necessities  which  occur  in  almost  every  life-  -  where  a  man  has 
to  endure  much,  and  Struggle  much,  and  exert  all  his  manhood  to 
secure  safety  or  redress,  or  venp'ance." 

"  Ha  !  that  is  the  word  !  venp'ance  !  and  I  will  have  it  !" 

" It  is  an  advantage  to  keep  .John,  that  you  do  know  him.     Dis 

mi—  him  and  you  warn  YauLrhan  and  himself  that  he  is  suspected  — 
possibly  discovered.  Thi>mak--  :ny  cautious.  He  still  may 

employ  .lohn  to  your  disservice,  thou-h  you  employ  him  not. 
Should  you  p-t  another  servant  are  you  better  sure  of  his  fidelity  '.' 
I>  it  not  just  as  likely  that  he  will  be  bought  and  bribed  al-o  ?  Will 
yiyj  doubt  him?  -can  you  confide  in  him?  Neither,  exactly 
both,  certainly  to  some  extent  !  Why  not  confide  in  .lohn  to  the 
same  extent  ?  In  other  words,  confide  in  neither.  Semi  not  to  MIS 
pe(  t  him,  but  leave  nothing  at  his  mercy.  This  is  simply  a  proper. 
manly  "vigilance  where  \ou  are  surrounded  by  enemies,  and  where 

their  slratepms  and  your  incaution  have  already  L-iven  them  an 
advantap'  in  the  campaign." 

"  Ah  !  Fumes-,  had  I  your  a  — i-tance  ?  " 

"  You  do  not  need  it.  K\ert  your  own  faculties  and  subdue 
your  passion  until  \  <»u  are  certain  of  your  prey.  If  you  be  not 
coo],  patient,  watchful,  you  arc  lost  in  the  -;i  uuiile.  Are  you  a 
man?  lien-  i>  one  of  the  mo-t  admirable  of  all  opportunities  to 
MMll  and  prove  your  manhood.  Any  blockhead  with  the  or 
dinary  gentlemanly  endowment  of  courap-  can  tiirht  through 
the  enemy'-  rank-.  Of  perMi  with  honor.  P.ut  it  is  the  noblest 
manhood,  that  in  which  courage  is  twined  with  thought,  to  li-rht 
onlv  at  your  pleasure,  and  malsc  \oiir  intellect  the  shield  in  the 


n«»\v   TO    PLA1    WITH    UNA-  108 

not    fear   that    I    -hail   <:  ..,],,  M  y,,u 

need  a  friend." 

"Itliank   you.      You    arc    ri-lit.      I    I'M  1   that    I    ran  <i 
M-l.  ami  I  »iU  d«>  it.      Let  me  have  your  further  COUIIM  ; 

•  •  ed  n.it  pursue  in  •;,  ii\-  which  he 

'lie   detail-  of   that    p'-liey  with  which  he 

Jit  to  impress  his  companion.      IM.u lor  \\a-  l.y  IK.  mcai 
mail —in  fact.  In-  was  rather  i  apaMe  of  thought  and 

'.  of  latent  >  i.idi  iKt-d.-d  nothini:  hut  the  spur  of  a 

will    which   had   imt    yd    IM-I-II    forced  into  sullicicnt  activity.      ; 
si!|t.  rior  will  of  Sin-lcton  finally  stimulated  his  own.      lie    a*  U: 

i  tacitly  deferred  to  it.     The  other  f 

OU8    ill    1.  ami    they    \\erc-    tho>e    of    a   vigilant  mind. 

sharpen,  d  hy  practice,  and  naturally  well  endowed  with  foresight 
and  cireum-p.i -lion.  II.  injireheii-:  t  all  the  diffi 

culties  in  the  way  of  tin-  J>riii-h  otlicer.  and  sue.eedtd  in  pointing 
out  to  him  where,  and  in  what  manner  he  would  ino-t  pmliahly  find 
lh«-  cl«-\\s  which  would  Micces^f-.illy  lead  him  out  from  ainoii 

enemies,     We  need  only  give  hi*  clodng  com  \hat 

:i  II-  at   pr. 

•  ix-t  think  of  1, -avinir  '  The  <  >ak-  '  ju-t  now.  IV...  t.  r       \l* main 

,-ill-  the  CM  -client   .Inhll    with    \  oil    Ulltil     VoIlT    1111(1' 

' 

man  he  ha-  with  him  can  Liive  him  little  help,  and  he  kn»\\-   it.      He 
is  di^p.i-i-d  to  conciliate  vou.  and  I  would  not  show  my-elf  hosti! 
sii-pieimis.      1 1  may  serve  you  M>n:e\\  hat .  a-  \\ell  a-  ( 'rud<  n  ' 

II  poli<  y   i-  to  i:ain  time,  and  to  IK»  9* 

near  your  .-11.  r:  !>!<•.  airordini:  him  all  hi-  ;'l»«>rtuni- 

'his  can  In-  «!"tie  uilli  pnij.ricty.      For  thi-  \..u  ha. 

i  i-u.l.  it  r.  tnaii  i,     \\  iiii- 

ML'    lady.  th<>   daughter   of   Walton,  in  wh.-m 

app.  ar  to  h;i\r  an  inter. -t.      H.ralTaii-   may  well  need  the  jurist. -.- 
of  -ueh  a  friend  a-  \  <>ur-i  If." 

The  call  to    l.nakfa-t    DT  :i    to    the    ; 

ter.      I'nx  tor    j.layed     hi  -fully,    and     the    fellow    had 


154  K  A  THAI;  INK  WALTON. 

no  suspicions,  though  somewhat  surprised  In  find  the  former  up  and 
dressed,  and  in  the  chamlicr  of  the  loyalist.  Furm-«.  We  may  add 
that,  when  Proctor  looked  into  b\B MCritoir,  an  hour  after  Sinirlelon's 
departure,  lie  found  the  inis>in.u;  letters  in  the  place  where  he  kept 
them  usually.  Our  partisan  left  "The  Oaks"  soon  after  breakfast, 
his  farewells  bein-exchan-rd  with  Cruden  and  his  nephew  at  the 
table.  A  silent  but  emphatic  squee/.e  of  the  hand,  on  the  part  of 
Pn.ctor,  spoke  more  impressively  than  words  the  warmth  of  that 
youni;  man's  feelings. 


SURPRISE.  1  '  • 


on  A  i>rr  i-:ii  xv  1 1. 

BUKPRl 

KIHTNT,   slowly,  and    looking  about   him   with   a  curious   r 
as  he   rode,    Singleton    did   not  reach  his   place   «.f  de-tination    till 
nearly    one    o'clock.      II.     WttB    n«»t    unconsciou-.    g 

:t-ional  intimations  in  the  foiv-t   that   hi-  friends  v 
at    the    designated    points    of    watch.      At   intervals,  the    hoot: 

.'.  1.    or    a    sharp    whistle,    familiar    to    Marion's    n.. 
him    where  to    look    for   them    in    the    moment    of  lie 

:    was  not   without    his    weapon-,  thou-h    the    small--'.' 

v    alone    \\;;s  vi-ihle.      An  excellent   pair   "I 

eealed    within  the    am]>le  folds    of    his  hunting  shirt ,  and   a   Iwaiiti- 
fully    polMied    horn    was    slun.i:  al'o'.it    hi-    neck.      With  a    ll. 
powerful    steed    of    tl.  .  :ri;iMi:i    blood,    well-trained,   ami    ac- 

eustoi!.'  v   cheerfully    the    simple-!    \\ord    of  his   rid- 

i:leton   felt    as  perfectly    confident  of  his   own   >eciirity    a-  it 
sihlc  for  one    to   feel   under  any  eirciim-iaiu  . 
with  coolne-s.  accordingly,  to  the  place  of  m.ilini:,   \\ith   a    ; 
for  whom,  at  that  period,  the  patriot-  ,,f  South  Carolina  felt  nothing 
hut   loathing  aixl  contempt. 

ral    \\illiam-on.    the    per-on   thus    regarded.    ITM    a    S 
man,     who    had     prohably    enlereil     the    colon!, -  \e    or 

fore,    and     had    aeijiiiri-d     con-ideral'le     so<  ial     and 
{Militical    intluenee    in    the    upjii-r    country     -the     re-ion    \\hich    he 
occupied    lieiiiLT     «»riirina!ly     -it led     in    irn-at     pai' 
direct    from    the    Old    \Vorld.    or    immediately    from     I" 
and     N  ..      In     the     tir-t     dawnin-     "f     the     K,-v..lu- 

stniLT^le.     \\'il!iam-oi:  \ith   the 

party.     It    is    prohahle    that     he    WAI  -d     in    this   dii. 


l56  KATH  Vl;i.\  i:    \\  ALTON. 

rather  in  consequence  of  certain  l«>c;il  rivalries  in  the  interior, 
and  because  of  the  judicious  p< TMia>i<>iix,  or  tlatterics,  of  the 
leading  men  of  the  lower  country — Drayton,  Laurcns,  and 
others— than  because  of  any  ival  activity  of  liis  sympathies 
with  the  cause  of  colonial  independence,  lie  was  an  illiterate, 
but  shrewd  pei-s.-n  ;  and  as  a  colonel  first,  and  finally  a  general 
of  militia,  he  behaved  well,  and  operated  successfully  in  sundry 
conflicts  with  the  Indians  of  the;  frontier  and  the  loyalists  of  his 
own  precincts.  The  fall  of  Charleston,  which  temporarily  pn>- 
trated  the  strength  of  the  slate,  threw  him  into  the  arms  of  the 
enemy.  He  took  what  is  commonly  known  as  a  "British  pro 
tection,"  by  which  lie  professed  to  observe  a  neutrality  during 
the  pro^re-s-  of  the  war.  In  the  condition  of  affairs  —  the  utter 
overthrow  of  the  army  of  the  south,  the  belief  thai  its  resources 
were  exhausted,  and  the  irrowin.ir  opinion  that  Congress  would 
be  compelled,  through  similar  exhaustion  of  resource.  1o  yield  to 
the  1)1  itisli.  at  least  the  two  colonies  of  (leor^ia  and  South  Caro 
lina,  both  of  which  were  coven  d  by  the  invading  army  —  Ihis 
measure,  on  the  part  of  Williamson,  was  perhaps  not  so  ceiiMir 
able.  The  same  act  had  been  performed  by  many  others  in 
conspicuous  positions,  who  could  oll'i  r  no  such  apology  as  Wil 
liamson,  lie  was  a  foreigner;  originally  a  subject  of  the  Drilish 
crown  ;  sjinin.ir  from  a  people  remarkable  always  for  their  l..y 
ally,  and  whose  allinitii-  \M  n  naturally  due  to  the  cause  of 
IJritain.  15ut  Williamson's  error  \\as  not  limited  to  the  taking 
of  "  protection."  He  lock  up  his  abode  within  the  walla  of 
Charleston,  and  it  became  the  policy  of  the  liritiMi  to  employ 

influence  auaih-t  the  cause  for  which  he  hail  so  recently 
been  in  arms.  In  this  new  relation,  it  is  doubtful  if  he  c\<  i,  M  ,1 
much  intluence  with  the  borderers  \\hom  he  descried.  It  \\a- 
enough  that  Midi  Were  understood  'o  be  his  new  objects.  by 
which  lie  h.id  siciired,  in  especial  deLrree,  the  favor  of  the  P>rit 
i-h  commandant  at  Charlrv-toii.  The  atl'air  of  Arnold,  in  tin- 
north,  furnished  a  name  to  Williamson  in  the  south  ;  and  when 

•  n  of  subs-eijuenily  to  the  detection  of  Arnold's  treason  he 
was  distinguished  as  the  "Arnold  of  Carolina."  This  summary 
will  sulliciently  serve  as  introductory  to  uhat  follows.  It  was 
to  Confer  with  thi  'hus  odiou-ly  distin-uished.  that  we 


tin.1  Colonel   Sinirleion.  oi    M  le,  in  the 

ter  :uul  co.-tuine  of  Captain  Furm---.  of  the  ln\ali-t  rifles,  OD  1 

to  the  public  hotel,  some  ci^hl  mile-  fi,,ni  (  Ihf 

Williamson  had  bpCD,  -.«mr\\hat   impatiently,  awailim:  hi-  I 
in  one  of  the  chamber-  of  the  lion  !,  whence   he  looked   forth  upon 
the  surrounding  woods  with   the  air  of   a  man   to   \\h-.m  all 
him    was    utterly    dista-t.  ful        A     liriti-h    dl 
fallen  in •«•.  some  thirty  yards  fn.rn  the  dwelling,  hi-  hor-r  b«  IB 
en.. 1  U)  •  swinging  Hnib.  and  ready  -addled  and  bitted.  awai1 
the  shade. 

There  was  somethim:  in  what  he  >aw  to  darken  the  brow-  of  the 
p-neral.    who,    wheeling    away     from    the    uindow.    tlin-w    1 
up.. n     a    .--at    in    the    apartment,    and.    though     tli-  DO    lire 

on  the  hearth.  dra\\iiiLr  n«-ai    to  it   and  thrustimr    hi-    li 
the  mantel       Ib  ut.  well  built   :  on    the    wintry 
f    f«.rly.    1"  rhap-.    with    large    but     wrinkle.l    foreln-.-ul.   ami 
features      rather     prominent      than      imp:  1     "a* 
thrown  l)ack.  hi-                   'in^   cloudily  upon    the                      ml    his 
D    at    .-ueh    an    anirle    a-    simply   prr^-m  d     his   equilibrium. 
His    meditations    \\.-rc    n..|    of   an    a-nmbie    < -liar.-,  dark 
ened   brows,   and    oeca-ional    fragment-    of    -olilo.p.                    1  them 
to    1>C    irl.M.my    and    vexatious      He    had    many    eaii<.  -    f,,r     • 
trnt.    if    not    apprehension       He    had    MCTificed    good     I 
ii..ii.    and    property.   an<l    ha.l    found    nothini:                                 in  tin- 
surrender.      Hi-;    f.-nner    comrtdefl     were    still    in    the 
li^htinir,     still     apparently     resolute    in     tl                     \\hicli     li 
abandoned,    the    |',riti.-h    slnn-th    \\as    M..I    i: 
hold  l.-ss  sure  than   l>                   1   their  tn-ainii-n!   of  him-elf.   I 
civil     and     Kapeetful,                    ttything     but     c..nlial        was     wholly 
\v:inlinur    in    \\anuth  ;    and    th.-n-    WM    M"   ap; 
sition    to   confer   up«.n   him  any  su« -h  command   ftfl    had 
t.i    Arnol.l.      Wheih.r    an     app<>intn                     '     to    that     \\lii.li     he 
had    enjoyed    in    tin-                       dili.-him-nt.    would 
him  to  hi-  pr. -.  nt   n-l:iii,.i.s.   it    i-  dillieult  to  ,h-tennin- 
j.p.tTrr   ha.l    I,,  n    madr   him.    n.-r   1                                                 ''"*    '"' 
h   an    appointment.      Ib                         :i     man    of 

etiterpri-e  .     but     he    could     not    d.-e- ive    1  •'    'l>^1 

Hi.-    Uiili-h    authorities   ha.l   -h..\\n   th.-n,  ntctl    in  the 


1~»S  KATHARINE    WAI 

amount  of  strength  which  his  acquisition  had  brought  to  their 
Came.  His  desertion  of  the  whip*  had  hccn  followed  by  no 
such  numbers  of  his  toriner  associates  R8,  perhaps,  his  o\\  n 
assurances  had  led  liis  present  allies  to  expect.  His  labor-  \\eiv 
now  chielly  reduced  to  a  maintenance  ot  a  small  correspondence 
with  persons  of  the  interior,  whom  he  -till  hoped  to  inlluence, 
and  to  such  a  conciliation  of  the  humors  of  Balfour  -  whose 
weaknesses  ihe  shrewd  Scotchman  had  soon  discovered  —  as 
would  continue  him  in  the  in<> derate  degree  of  favor  which  he 
enjoyed.  This  statement  \\ill  serve  to  indicate  the  nature  of 
that  surly  and  dissatisfied  mood  under  which  we  tind  him  labor 

Ing. 

lie  was  thus  found  by  Singleton  —  as  Captain  Furness,  of  the 
loyalists— whose  presence  was  announced  by  a  little  ii'-ro. 
habited  only  in  a  coarse  cotton  shirt  readmit:  to  his  heels.  Of 
the  sliirht  regard  \\hieh  Williamson  was  disposed  to  pay  to  bis 
visitor,  or  to  his  objects,  or  to  those  of  his  British  emplovers.  we 
may  form  a  reasonable  idea  from  the  fact  that  he  never  changed 
his  position  in  the  seat  which  he  occupied  ,  but  still,  even  on  the 
entrance  of  the  supposed  loyalist,  maintained  his  heels  against 
the  mantel,  with  the  chair  in  which  he  sat  properlv  balanced 
upon  its  hind  le^s.  His  head  was  simply  turned  upoi,  his 
shoulders  eiK.uu'h  to  suffer  his  eyes  to  lake  in  the  form  of  his 
visitor. 

Sin-leton  saw  through  the  character  of  the  man  at  a  irlance.  He 
smiled  slightly  as  their  eyes  encountered,  and  drew  a  rather  favorable 
inference  from  the  treatment  thus  bestowed  upon  a  se<  HH'IILT  loyalist. 
The  auspice  looked  favorable  to  the  interests  of  the  patriotic  party. 
He  approached,  but  did  not  seek,  by  any  unneci  -ary  familiarity,  to 
break  down  tho-e  barriers  upon  which  the  dignity  of  his  superior 
Beemed  disposed  to  insist.  At  once  putt  ins:  on  the  simple  forester. 
Sinsjleton  addressed  him  — 

"  You're  the  general  •     <Jim-i-al  \\illiam-nn       1  reckon?" 

"  Y..II  are  rinht,  sir.  I  am  (ieiier.-i!  \\'iiliain-on  You.  I  luppose, 
are  Captain  Furness,  of  the  loyalist  ritles  ?" 

"  The  >;inie.  general,  and  your  humble  ^crvant.  ' 

"Take  a    seat,   cajitain,"    \\as   Che  nspOOSe   Of    William^. n.   never 


ink  you,  Blr,  and   I  will."  -aid    the  other.  c.M.lly.  dra\\ 
:   within  convenient  >iH-aUiiii:  di-ta: 

''YOU   bl      .  ttei  '    iptain    Fimie-s.    fr..n:    ( ',  .{..nels 

Fletchall,   IVari-.  an-i  .\ca!l        Ymi  arc  in  wai:'  ; 

1  ':i   thi<  -ul.ject,  I   am  aulhori/ed,  l.y  Colonel    Halfour.  I.,  tell 
y«'U  that  .i  train  of  \\auons  \vill   vet    forth   to-m 

<>nr    <>f    tli'  ially    de-i-ned    for    your    ( ,.mmand, 

c •ontainini;    all    your    requisitions.      It    is    that    \vhicli    is    nu: 
eleven.      Tin-    train    will    be    under    a    -mall   •  niai.ded    l.y 

Lieutenant    .Meadow-,  whom  ymi   are  iei|ue-t((l   \<,   a  — i-t    in   his  jim- 

The    rtMite    will    he    l.y     Xelxin's      F.-rry     I..     Camdi: 
when    \«.u    ha\e    readied    Caniden.    y..ur    u:tLr»n    will    l«e    d 
and    surrendered     t»>    yi-ur    <>\\n     keepinir.       V«MI    \\ill 
coinmand    t<>    n-inle/vi»u<    at     that    point.      But    hep  'ter   «.f 

instrueticii<  from   Colonel    Ualfour.   which    contain^   more   particular 

letOD    t<><»k    the    letter,    \\liieh    he    read    delil'erately     ami    ptit 
•   irefully  in  hi- liosom.      A  pau-e  en-ued.      \\'illiam-<>n  I 
hi-  lei'-,  linally,  and  said  — 

'•There   H  nothing   further.  ( 'aptain  Funie-s.      V..P   have  all  that 

Miire." 
"There  Were  -ome   letiei-.  -enrral    that    I   l.rouirlK   for  \ou."wa- 

the  BUg  L'I  BtiOE   Of  >illLrleto|). 

There   \\;,v  a   marke.l    he-ilaiicy  and   di->ati-t'a<  lion  in  the  re|Jy  of 

!iijiani(.n. 

'  V.  I,    rfl       my    friend-    nem    t«>    think    that    1    oiiulit    \n   write 
\>y  you   to   certain    per-"  horn    1    at 

I   do  not    know  that  Mich  i-  the  case  ; 

'-en    if    it  ':-tied     that      I     -hall 

friendly  act    to    the   p  :    to     l.y    ennui rn-iriu'    ihern.    at 

in   new  and   perilous  enterprises,  and 

form    new    relations   directly    oppo-itc   to   tho-e    in    \\hich    th- 
aetiriir  now." 

"  Uut.  ireiu-ral.  the  cau-e  ».f  hi-  rn.-i  Mini:   quit, 

ainoni:  u-.      \\ f  -ha'n't   he  able  to  1.  :  :a  all.  unless  we 

i    out    on   our  side  such   men  a-    \\  .    <  !»uck. 

Thomas    Miller,  and  a  fe\\  oil, 

"That   i-  the  \  .plain   Furm-ss.  that    1   am  unwilling 


!<;<>  KATHARINE    VVALTOK. 

to  advise  men,  whom  1  so  inucli  esteem,  to  engage  in  an  enterprise 

which  may  ruin  them  foiv\er." 

"  How.  general  '.'  1  don't  sec — I  don't  understand." 
••  Very  likely.  Captain  Furne-s,"  said  the  other,  quite  impa 
tiently.  "You  see,  sir,  though  as  much  prepared  as  e\er  to 
promote  the  BUCCett  «>f  his  majesty's  arms  and  to  j-eril  myself.  I 
do  not  see  that  it  would  he  altogether  proper  for  me,  dealing 
with  friend-,  in  give  them  such  counsel  as  would  involve  them 
in  useless  dangers,  or  encourage  them  in  enterprises,  the  fruits 
of  which  may  not  he  profitable  to  the  cause  I  espouse,  and 
fatal  to  themselves.  In  the  lir>t  place,  1  doubt  greatly  if  my 
recommendation  would  have  any  effect  upon  the  persons  \.-u 
mention.  It  is  true,  they  were  my  friends  and  followers  when 
I  served  the  whig  cause  ;  but  I  see  no  reason  to  think  that,  in 
changing  sides,  1  continued  to  keep  their  respect  and  sympathy. 
In  the  next  place.  I  am  not  satisfied  that  the  officers  of  the 
crown,  or  the  Ilritish  government  itself,  are  takimr  the  proper 
coulee  for  pushing  their  conquers  or  securing  the  ground  that 
they  have  won.  They  hold  forth  no  encouragement  to  the  peo 
pie  of  the  soil.  They  do  not  treat  well  the  native  champions 
who  rise  up  for  their  cause.  The  provincials  are  not  properly 
esteemed.  They,  never  get  promotion  ;  they  are  never  intrusted 
with  commands  of  dignity,  or  with  any  power  by  which  they 
could  make  themselves  felt.  The  war  languishes.  No  troops, 
or  very  few,  now  arrive  from  (In-at  Uritain  ,  and  these,  chielly 
lri>h.  are  better  disposed  to  light  /«/•  the  rebels  than  tight 
against  them.  In  fact.  sir.  I  see  nothing  to  encourage  our 
friend^  in  risking  themselves,  at  this  late  day,  in  the  struggle, 
who  are  already  committed,  who  have  periled  fame  and 
fortune  on  the  caii-e.  who  cannot  return  to  the  ranks  they  have 
abandoned,  they  must  take  their  chances.  I  suppose;  but  even 
DO  proper  motive  \\hieh  should  urge  them  to  persuade 
!  whom  they  esteem  into  the  field.  I  have  already  done 
all  that  I  could.  When  I  first  left  the  ranks  of  the  \\ !.  I 

to     these     very     p.:  ing     them     the     reasons     which 

governed     me    in     my    conduct,     and     urging     these    reasons    upon 
them    as    worthy    «!     the    first    consideration.     To    these    letters    I 
received     no    answer        What    should     prompt    me    to   write 


I'M 

thrill  airain  .      <  >f  \\  hat  pov>ib]r  a\  ;(i  ;  |  now, 

when  their  |  'vrealh  Improving  and  their  Btri 

A  proper  pride.  Captain  1'  .1  the  humiliation  ol 

performa; 

"  I  •-.mill    have   \\  Mird,  (Imeral    \Vili; 

his  t<>nc  ami  manner  rhainriiii:.  "  that  you  could   have  found  a  1».  tier 
rea.son     than    your    pride     for     \oiir     refusal     to     do    \\liat 

quired." 

•-  Why,  who  an-  you.  rfrtw  demanded  Williamson,  drauini:  baek 
hi>  i  hair,  and  cuiifnuitiiii:  tin-  s|'<-ak-  r  for  the  tir-t  time. 

A  -mile  nfSin-lrtoii   alone  answered   tlii-  «|Ue-tion,  while  hej.ro- 

iii  better  ple:iM(l.  -ir.  to  believe  in  another  rea-on  than  that 
\<>\i  have  trivrn  forthis  forbearanet-.  Tin-  il.-elim-  of  Kinrli^h  pi.\\er 
in  the  back  country,  and  its  \\rakne--  and  bad  management  below, 

mainly  sullieient  rea-on-,  t,,  k«  <-p  the  pair: 

faith.      But.  sir,   permit    me    to    ;^k    if   you    have    MilVerrd    Colonel 
Halfour  to  msped  that  you  are  likely  to   us,-  this    lan-ua^e  I" 

lettenl  " 

An  air    of    alarm    instantly    over-pread    the    eountenaiu  e  of    \Vil- 


ain    I    a-k,    \\lio     ;•,•  ''"'I'ly     '"    '''i~ 

lion. 

in  not  exaetly  what  1  M-nn.  (Jeneral  Williamson;  but  my  pur- 

Ifl  not  to  inspire  you  with  any  apprehension." 
••  AjWyOU  not  tlic  son  ,,f    my  \,  ii,  Table   friend.  Kphraim    FI;- 
of  Nin- 

••   I  am  not,  >ir  ;    I  will  mystify  you   no  Imi-er.        i  :i  I>ur- 

p08C8,  I  have   borrowed   the  (  haraetrr  of  Captain    Furne^s.  \\hojsin 
mv    hand>  a    prisoner.       I    am,   sjr,   ('oloiiel    Singleton.  - 

, 

Williamson  spiani:  in  horror  to  hi- 

'•  I  la  '  sir  :  of  Marion's  bii-ade1      What  [fl  y««ur  pur|M»s«'  with  me  ? 
—  what   do   you    deMLMi?      1  )..    y..u    kix.w.    sir,    that  in   my 

that  I  lia\e  only  [<>  sunnnon  J  your  life  a.s 

a  spy  and  a  traitor  is  in  my  ha- 

ral  Williamso,,;  do  :  .  :  v,  If.      It   : 

who  are  in  my  hand-.  \i»ur  ilragiMHis   to   the  contrary    not  withstand- 


KATHARINE   WALTON. 

ini;!  A  single  word  from  vou.sii,  above  your  i»r..atli,  ami  I  blow  out 
yetir  hrain^  without  a  scruple. 

He  .livw  forth  his  pistols  as   he  spoke       Williamson,  meanwhile, 
W&s  about  to  cross  the    room    to   possess  himsdf  of   his  small 
that  lay  upon  tin;  table      kSingiclcn  'hrew   Jiimseh   in  ike  way,  a>  he 
proceed- -il  tlius  :  — 

"  I  b  me  here  unadvisedly ,  General  Williamson,  or  with 

out  taking  all  necess;;'y  ])rc(  autioiis,  no',   only  for    /////  sifety  but  for 

1    have    only    to    sound    this    buule    ami    the   IIOUM      is    Mir 

rounded  by  the  best  men  of  Marion  Vou  know  t1nir  quality,  and 
you  have  heard  of  me!  lvalue  ben-,  expecting  to  find  you  in  •:  he 
very  mood  in  which  you  ^how  yourself  —  discontented  —  Humbled 
«o  the  du-'  by  \  our  own  thoughts  —  cooBcious and lepentiog  of  error 

—  di>s;itistied  witb  the  British  —  dissatisfied  with  your  new  alii- 
unce,  and  anxious  t,>  escape  all  furthei  eorneetion  with  it,  as 
equally  satisfied  that  it  is  fatal  to  your  future  hopes  and  di-hoiior 
aide,  to  your  name.  But  I  came  al>o  jirepared,  it'  disappointed  in 
.•deulations,  to  make  you  my  pn<'>n<  r,  and  subject  y-,>\i,  -i>  ;; 
traitor  to  the  Anieiican  cause,  to  a  summary  trial,  and  a  felon's 
death." 

A  blank  constornntii  n  over-pread  the  visairc    "f   Wiriaiuson.     If 
was  under  the  eye  of  a  maMer  —  an  eye    thai    locked    into  his  m\n 
with  all  the  ea^er  wa!<  h  of  the  hawk   or    the  ea-'le,  and  with  all  the 
stern  confidence  in  his  own  strength  which  tills  the  soui  of  the  tiiier 
or  the  lion.     The  it  Stood  OUt    in    ureat    -'lops  upon  the  brow 

of  the  victim  ;  he  attempted   to  speak,  but  his  voice  failed  him  ,  and 
still  he   wavered,    \\iih   an   inclining   to   the   window,   as  if   he  still 
;  of  Mimmonim:  the  drairoon  to  !d>  assistance,      IJ'.it  the  native 
•  !' his  inielleet,  and  his  manho.  ,-IK    to  his  relief,      lie 

folded  his  arms  acro^-  liis  brea-t,  and  1'i^  form  unce  moi-e  became 
-leady  and  erect 

"  You   have   your  j-istols,   Col..nci    ^inirleton  '— 1\<-   them — you 

.t'Kill   use    them— you    shall    have    mv    life,    if    that    is    what    you 

but    I    will    never  yield    myself  alive  to  the   power  of  your 

people." 

'•^ou    mu-t    not    be    sullVrcd   to   mistake  me,    (Jeiieral    William 
son.      If    1    have   been    compelled    to    utter    myself   in   the  words  of 
•  ninir,   it   was  an    alternative,   which    you    have   the   powi  r  to 


81   BPB1 

•    Hot    wMl     your  dralll.        We   \\  Ml      .  \\  r 

know,  as  wel,  if,  that   the  power  of  the  I'.iitMi  i.s  d< elininu' 

—  that    tin- clays    of  their  aullioriiy   an-    numb,  r,  d.      We    know    U,,. 
apolo-y  which   can    In-    made    fur  your   •!•  -ertion    of    the  Aim-: 

,- 

i-    n:y    judge,    <  'olouel    SiiiLTlrlon,    I    never   • 

until    it    had  descried    inc.1       M  '  omniended    tin-   p:< 

lion       our    IP-  ttercd— We    hail    no   army   left.       i;«-au- 

fort    was  cut    In    piece,      our   cavalry    <li>!  :       <  ..ulil 

•ul«l  do  iiotliini:  f,,|  u  -       :iiid,  in  de-pail  «•!'  a; 

not  knowing  wliere  to  turn.  I  siirned   li  i   instrument  which 

\\a-   artfully  put    !>.•!'«. iv   u-  at   this  juncture,  ari«l  which  oIT.  red  u>  a 
]>o-ilion    of    neutrality,    when    it    was    no    1  If,  r 

cc." 

••  V  'ii  could   have  ilctl.  general,  a^   hundreds  of  us  did.  to  North 
.ina  anil  Virginia,  to  he  in  readine-s  for  better  tinu 

i  sir;     luit    BO    al>o    nii^ht    your    kiiiMiiaii,    Colonel 

Walton." 

Sin-let..!)  was   >ileli<-ed    1  or  a  lllollieli t  1  iy  1  he  retort  ;    bll1 
for  the   pui-|>ox,.,  of   reply. 

"  ( 'oloiu-1  Walton  i,  11,,-A  atoning,  -\\ord  in  hand,  for  hi-  temporary 
PeaknaH  toderm       HeWU  too  nnn  h    -"\.rned.  Cencral  William- 
M'||.    by    <  on-idelaliol:-   -neli    a--,    no   doubt.  Weighed    upon    you. 
had  gnat  wi-alfh  and  a  favorite  daii-hler." 

"Ah!    tin  iv  it    i->'     Thar.  the    melancholy  truth       Family 

and    land  ti     that     DM  •••chic.    ••>    It    made 

Ther-  ..f   real   mental   a'_rony  in   the 

the   utterance  of   ti  .   which    uio\..l    th-  Mtiou    of 

''•ton.      II  derly:  — 

"  rndouldedly.     \  1.11     had     your     ;.;  •  ,1     \N  illim 

for  much  of  ti,  ^  fg 

within    your    ;  'her    unadu-.d    of 

\oiir  >i;u:.tion,  or  of  the  •  till  INIVM- 

to    the   coui;ir\         I1    :  -    •  l-'ar    that.  .'i-h    iiiu-t    In- 

Jed  fn.in  the  tA  •.  i'h  it>  future  maa 

I0IB,  J      II  :   :  •  hildrvn. 

your  va>t    Ian;  equally  tl.  :  at 


16-4  K  A  THAI;  INK    WALTON. 

retire-lions  an-  pressing  upon  you.  I  knmr  that  you  yourself,  i.r  one 
whom  I  assume  to  be  you  — you  alone  can  determine  if  1  am  riuht  - 
I'.avc  already  initiated  tin-  step^  for  your  return  to  the  bosom  of  your 
old  friendships  and  associations  Sir.  1  was  in  the  tent  of  General 
Greene  when  .Airs.  Tliompson  and  her  daughter  reached  liis  presence 
from  the  city." 

"Ah:  ' 

"I  saw  a  certain  paper  taken  from  the  bosom  of  the  uneonscioii- 
elp'ld  by  the  mother.  It  had  been  put  into  her  bosom  by  an  ollieer 
in  Charleston,  as  she  was  about  to  leave  Ihe  city  — 

"Enough,  sir,  cuou-h!     And  General  Greene?" 

"  Look  at  this  paper,  Gum-nil  Williamson." 

Unscrew  ing  the  hilt  of  his  sword.  Singleton  drew  forth  a  small, 
neatly-folded  billet,  without  signature  or  address,  which  contained 
certain  brief  propositions. 

"Head  this  iiaprr.  general.  There  is  nothing  explicit  in  it, 
nothing  to  involve  any  party.  Hut  il  comes  from  General  Marion, 
with  the  approbation  of  General  Greene;  it  is  devi-ned  for  //""//  and 
you  are  (  ntn-ated  to  reco^ni/e  ///*  as  fully  authori/ed  to  explain  their 
:jnd  to  receive  and  report  \  our  own.  ^'otl  will  be  pleased  to 
learn  from  me  that  your  situation,  your  feelings  and  your  d«-ir«  -  are 
]H-rfeclly  \unlerstood;  and  lhat  they  plcdirc  themselves  to  i 
their  influence  and  power  in  procuring  your  honorable  restoration  to 
the  confidence  of  the  country,  upon  your  taking  certain  steps,  \\hich 
1  am  prepared  to  explain,  for  putting  yourself  ri-ht  once  more  in 
relation  to  the  cause  for  which  \\eaie  coiitendim:.  It  i^  \\ith  you  to 

decide." 

"Declare  your  Objects,  your  Wishes,  Colonel  Singleton.  Say  tin- 
word,  and  1  throw  myself  at  once  amon-  the  squadrons  of  Gr.-eiie. 
and  oli'er  my  -\\ord  once  more  in  any  capacity,  in  the  service  of  my 
country." 

This   \vas   -aid   e:r_-erl\.    and    with   (jiiite   as   much   eanicstn- 
manner   and    feHinir    as  was 'called    forth  by  the  terms  of  ihc  decla 
ration. 

"  I    am  afraid,    Genera,  Williamson,    thai    you    could    do   us   but, 
'•rvier    by    such    a   proceeding.       You    \\ould    only    endanger 


BtJBPBl  jr,;, 

\ourself  without  serviii- our  .  •••>,  .      T  ,  (fed  with  you  candidly,  yo., 
have  a   rxiian.  i    must    approve  yourself  ;i   frinnl 

l.y  ab.solule  and  valuah;, 

.-'ifli.     There  is  no  injustice  in  thi-.     You  will  lemem 

"w"  '  lition,   in    17?«;,    when    Robert 

Cunningham  came   into  your  camp  and   offered    hi.   - 

objected  that,  however  willing  younelf  to  contide  in  ; 

the  prejudices  ,,f  your  p.  opU,  (,)U1,1  not  be  overcome  with  p. 
to  him.  Hi-  CMC  then,  i-  70011  now.  To  show  yourself  m 
our  troops  \\ould  be  to  peril  your  life  onlv.  I  could  not  uu 
for  II 

•'  In  the  name  of  (Jo<l,  then,  what  am   I  to  do?     H,,w  r;in   I 

••\Vhereyou  are  —  in   the  ramp  —  in   the  city  of  th.- rnnnv,"  an 
Singleton,  impn--i\ely  n-iiiiLf  his  haml  ujH.n  the  wri-i  of  hi> 
••anion,  "you  may  do  us  a  service  of  tin- laM   importance,  th- 
suits  of  wliirh   will   he  eminently   -reat  —  the  merits  of  which  will 

wholly  acquit  \oU  of  all  pa*i  ireakneftii  i,     H.  ;u-  me,  sir,     I 

that  we  have  friends  in  Charleston,  \\lm  are  imjiatient  of  the  mi- 
I'lc.  the  brutal  and  de-radini:  y.  ,itt  lialfmir!  V 

'hat  man  .  rately  inclined  to  ri-e  in  arm-,  ami  |  -   all 

ha/anU,  to  IVMUC  the  city  from    lh«- riu-iny.      It    n,-eds  hut    little  help 
.••lit  from  without;   and  th.tt  lidp  (Jencral  (Jreene  ih  not 
«li>i«.M-d    in  \\ithholil.  whene\<r   In- ran    he  saii-tie.l  «,f  a   reasonal'le 
pro>-|H-ct  of  BOCCeas.     The  Uriti^h  irarri^.n  in  ( 'h.  :,  t,, 

IM-    weak    and   «li<|.irilr.l.      Their  cavalry    i-    Mnall.      They    have    no 
entei  pri-e.     Supplies  fp.ni   F.ritain  do  not  often  arrive  in  season,  and 
the  commandant   has  already  more  than   once   meditated   n-eniiiinu' 
the   MaeUs  as   tro..ps   for  sti|.plyin-   their  d.  .and 

iiii-eJin^   the  efl  -    which    ii  :\.      |.,  t    tln-m   one«  be 

eoni|K-lled  to  put  thai  \rcution,  and  they  not  onlv  stimu 

late  all  the  patriots  into  rme\\eil  activity --arm  many  \N  ho  liave  been 
hitherto   inert       but  dri\e  fr.-m   th.-ir  ranks  e\ery  lo\alist  \\  ho  is  a 

If   th-  ir   peril      this  shows  their  feebleness, 
this    feeble::,  -.    u  ,  ,    take   advantage  on    the  iou« 

ihoi                 .0,1  fortun..     i-',,,-  ihis  pur|»oso  we  desire,  within 
city,  a  friend  \\ho\\ill  promptly  and  truthful                                       ,  — 
will   ascertain  our   frk-iuls   -infori..  ,  $ 


166  KATlIAJilNi;    WALTON. 

show  where  the  defences  an:  weakest,  and  keep  us  well  advised  of  the 
plans,  the  strength  and  the  nx>\  enieiit>  «»!'  the  enemy.  Il  is  for  \<>u 
to  determine  whether  you  will  act  in  this  capacity  —  one  no\\  ise  ineon 
sistent  with  you''  pn  -•  nt  feelings  and  former  principles,  and  one,  1 
may  add,  by  no  means  inconsistent  with  a  sound  policy,  which  inuM 
see  that  the  days  of  IJritish  rule  are  numbered  on  this  continent." 

AVha-  need  to  pursue,  through  its  detail,  ihe  protracted  conference 
betweer  the  parties?  Let  it  sullice  that  the  terms  vouchsafed  by 
Greene,  through  Singleton,  were  acceded  to  bv  Williamson.  In  some 
degree,  he  had  been  already  prepared  for  this  transfer  of  his  allcgi 
anceto  his  former  faith.  We  must  do  him  the  justice,  however,  to 
add  that  he  would  greatly  have  preferred  to  have  done  his  part,  as 
heretofore,  in  the  Held  of  battle.  Hut  this  was  clearly  impossible; 
and  his  own  shre\vd  .sense  soon  persuaded  him  of  the  truth  and  force 
of  Singleton's  reasoning.  They  separated  wiih  an  understanding  that 
they  were  to  meet  again  at  designated  periods,  and  u  cipher  was 
agreed  upon  between  them.  Jt  was  quite  dark  when  Singleton,  after 
a  smart  canter,  found  himself  once  more  at  "  The  Oaks."  We  forego 
the  details  of  a  brief  interview  with  his  scouting  party,  on  the  route. 
:,s  not  nee -.-ssary  to  our  progress,  and  designed  only  to  instruct  his 
followers  in  respect  to  theirs. 


TUT   i;rvri 


<    I1APTEK    XVIII. 

TIM:   REVEL, 

IN    the    brief    and     hurricil    inretini:    which     had    taken    place 

:i   Singleton  and   his  mm.  on   his   return   from   the  in: 
with    Williamson,   he  ha«l   i:iven  them    such    instructions  as  caused 
their   irencral    movement.     Their  camp-,  mi   boih   sides  of  tl. 
ley,   were   lii-iiken    up   that    very  ni-ht  ;    and.    lighted    liy  a    friendly 
iiux>n  —  haviiiLT    so    arranired     I  berth    to     'The 

as    \\cll  D       hesirr   -they     were     scourim:    av 

midnight,  through  wellknoun  forest  paths,  in  the  direction  of  "Tin* 
•  the  head  of  the  Ashley,  where  lay  another  part\  of  the 
hand. 

There  was  famous  frolicking  that  ni.irht  in  the  .secure  recesses  of 

.in].       II. -re  they   mkdit    huiirh    and    -port    without    :ip; 
>i«'ii.      Here  the.  ml  up  the  wild  son i:  of  the  hunter  or  the 

warrior,    nor  ilrrad    that    the   echoet   would    reach    unfriendly  eara. 
Well  miurht  our  fearless  partisc.  -«•  to  their  livelier  iin: 

and  recompense  them-el\cs  for  the  restraints  of  the  past  in  a  < 
hilarity  and  play.      There  w:.>  a  day  of  respite  aeeonle.l  ,,,  ,i,rir  ,,,iis 
and  their  fin-s  wen-  .irayly  lighted,  and   their  v.  ni>on  steaks  smoked 
ami  steamed  upon  the  lnirniiiL'  ci.aN.  and  their  hoii. 
into  drinking  <-ups  .  and  the  dance  enlivened   their  revel-,  under  tin- 
tireait  oaks   and    evpn -ses.  towerini:  over   the   i-let    haillHXK-ks  of  the 
deep 

"Shall   all    he   toil   and    strife,    and   care    and    anxiety.    m\ 
was   tli-   .i\    of    I1  they  surrounded   the  tir. 

supper  was  concluded,  and    li-telied    to   the   OllCUUur  givingB-fOltll   "f 
that    native    epii  ureai  who    ride    l>y    midnii:ht    and    ti::ht 

by  day.  who  s,-,,ut  and  se,,ur  the  woods  at  all  hours  an 


1G8  KATHAIMNi:    WALTON, 

for    whom    there    is    no    pay    and    a*    little    promotion,    shall    we 
not   laugh   and   (Inner,  and   shout    ami   sing,    when   oeea-ion   OK 
and   leave    the   devil,   as   in    duty  hound,   to   pay  the    piper  7     Hear 
our  arrangements   for  the  night,      (live  ear,   hoys,   and   hearken   to 
the  duties   assigned  you.      Half  a  do/en  of  you  must   take  the  •; 
and   gather  up  a  few  coons  and  'possums.      We  must   take  care  of 
the  morrow,  in  spite  of  the  apostle.     Who  volunteers  for  tl-  coon 
hunt?" 

"If  the  lieutenant  will  go  himself,  I'm  one  to  volunteer."  said 
Ben  Closely. 

"  Out  upon  thce,  you  young  varmint  !  Do  you  mean  me  7  With 
such  a  person  as  mine  a  figure  made  for  state  occasions  and  irreal 
ceremonials  only  !  Do  you  mean  me?" 

"To  be  sure  T  do,"  was  the  reply. 

"Why,    this   is   Hat   treason1      It's  a   design    against    my  li: 
well  as   my  dignity.      /  hunt  coons'     /  spla-h   and    plunge  among 
these  hammocks,  hestraddlc  fallen  cypresses,  rope  myself  with  vines, 
burrow  in  bogs,  and  bruise  nose  and  shin  against  sna.u's  and  bra  mi, 
Come  closer,  my  son,  that  I  may  knock  thce  upon  the  head  with  this 
light  wood  knot." 

"Thank  you  f<>r  nothing,  lieutenant  —  I'm  well  enough  at  this 
distance,"  said  Hen,  coolly. 

"No — no.  my  children;  the  employment  should  always  suit 
the  party.  You  are  young  and  slight.  You  will  pass  through 
avenues  when-  I  should  stick,  and  leap  bayous  through  \\hidi 
I  should  have  to  tlounder  :  my  better  plan  is  presiding  at  your 
feasts,  and  giving  dignity  to  your  frolics.  Call  up  your  d< 
Hen — you,  Stokes,  Iligu-ins,  .Joe,  Miller.  Charley.  Dro/e,  and 
Ike  Waring  — and  put  out  without  im.rc  delay.  I  km.w  that 
you  can  get  us  more  coons  than  any  others  of  the  squad;  and  I 
know  that  you  like  the  sport.  I'c  about  it.  We  shall  CMM<«>]C 
our-elve-  during  your  absence,  as  well  a^-  we  can,  \\itli  dance 
and  sonir.  with  a  few  games  of  old  sledge,  and  with  an  Occasional 
draught  from  the  jug  of  .Jamaica,  in  honor  of  your  achieve 
ments." 

Some  playful  remonstrances  from  the  parly  thus  chosen  \\cre 
ur_'ed  ajaiiis)  the  arrangement,  and  no  doubt  one  or  more  of 
tin-in  would  have  preferred  iniinilely  to  remain  behind;  but 


Tin:   KS\ 

'1  youni:,  and  tin-   Mipper  and   tin-  r«  -t  i.f  an  hour  which 
they   had  enjoyed   had   put   them  in   the   humor  which    mak< 
readily  sul>misxi\e  to  a  -upcrior,  particularly  \\hcn   the   labor  takes 

iiin.i:  of  lli-  •  a  frolic. 

"  Hut  you  will  let  us  have  a  sup  of  the  .Jamaica.  I'nclc   For. 
fore  v. 

'    V   -.  ;.— .      You  are   ir<>od  children  :  and   perhaps  your  only  de 
ficiency  is  in  the  matter  of  spirit.      You  shall  embrace  the  ju 

•  A    -u])    all    round."  was    the    cry    from    some    one   in  the  hack- 

:id. 

'•  What  impudent   fellow  is  that,  yelpini:   out    from   the  darkness 
Let    him     (ome     forward    and    : 

•;-." 

"  If  that's  what    you  mean,  uncle,"  said   the   -peaker,  comii 
ward,  "  I  >hall  have  the  jui:  to  myself." 

"What!    you,    Pritcliard!  —  the    handle    only,    you    do<j!       Why 
should  you  have  a  riirht  to  ai 

"The  best  right  in  the  world,.     And  now  let  me  a-k,  I. in. 

•iiis    old    .Jamaica,     for    it     ix    old    .Jamaica, 
fron. 

"Truly.  I  should  like  to  have  thai  qoeetioo  answered  my^-if.   It  M 

^/.Jamaica.  I  a\ouch  — very  old  -Jamaica.      \\ '«•  had  not  a  drop  when 
\NC  \\i-nt  down  to  •  'I'll.    •  ;nl  the  Ballon  juir  that  Singlet* 

out    to  .  mptied,  do-e    it     out     rautioiuly    as    \\e    could. 

Where,  then,  did  this  come  from?  " 

laderll'l  -aid  another,     since  no  one  can  tell 

anything  ahoi;: 

"A  devil'i       ft!  If  the  devil  d  thins:*  at  an\ 

Hut  if  a  devil's  i:ift.  my  childn  11.  for  \vhi<  h  of  our  many  virtues  has 
he  beBtOWed  tlii>  upon  u 

rMtchard,  "thatisan angel'i  L-ift,  if  I  know 

an\  tiling  al.out  it.     And  I  ou-ht  to  knou,  sin. ,-  ii  \\as  I  \\Jjo! 
it  ht  • 

••."•client  yrtuni:  man ' 

.client     \..un-    w.-maii.  *Q    of 

Pritchan!.  W«  tlial  j 

d«  ure  \\c  d.:'      Ai    '  he..    'iavi-  I   ! 
over  the  ju  ,inur  ai-ou:  D   and   all  that   sort  of 


170  K  A  THAI;  INK  WALTON. 

ttnae,  without  knowing  by  instinct  whose  health  was  to  ho  tirsv 
honored,  (live  me  the  cup  hen-,  one  of  you.  Let  me  unseal. 
Kate  Walton,  hoys,  is  a  nohle  creature,  whom  we  must  treat  with 
becoming  reverence.  1  knew  her  when  she  was  a  child,  and  even 
then  she  was  a  calm,  prim,  thoughtful,  hut  fond  and  generous  little 
creature.  God  hless  her!  J5oys,  here's  man's  Messing  upon  woman's 
love! " 

"Three  times  three!"  was  the  cry,  as  the  cup  went  round. 

"We  are  mere  blackguards  now.  boy&  Nohody  that  sees  us 
in  these  ra.irs,  begrimed  with  smoke,  could  ever  suppose  that  we 
had  been  gentlemen;  but,  losing  place  and  ]>roperty,  bo\<.  \\  e 
need  not.  and  we  do  not,  lose  the  sen-e  c.f  what  we  have  known, 
or  the  sentiment  which  still  makes  us  honor  the  beautiful  and  the 
good." 

"  Hem!  After  supper,  lieutenant,  I  perceive  that  you  are  always 
sentimental,"  was  the  remark  of  J'ritohard. 

"And  properly  so.  The  beast  is  then  pacified.  There  is  then 
no  conflict  between  the  animal  and  the  pid.  Thought  is  then 
supreme,  and  summons  all  the  nobler  aireneics  to  her  communion. 
Hut  have  ye  drunk,  ye  hunter.-?  Then  put  out.  You  have 
two  hours  to  daylight  ;  and  if  you  hope  to  take  coon  or  'possum,  you 
must  ho  stirrinir.  Call  up  your  d 

"  Hee  up!     Hee  up!     Snap!—  Tea/or!  —  Uull !  " 

The  dops  were  instantly  stirrim:,  shaking  themselves  free  from 
sleep,  iheir  eyea  turned  up  to  the  hunters,  and  their  lout;  noses 
thru.-t  out,  while  they  stretched  themselves  :,t  the  summons  of  the 
horn. 

"Here,  doi'-'  Ilee-up!  hee-up1  hee-up!  Away,  boys!  lleeup! 
hoc  up,  Snaii!  Tea/cr.  then-!  liull!  " 

And,    with    tlie  eheerini:   -i-nals,   the  hunters   leathered  up    their 

MC    taking    an    a\c,    and    others    a    bundle   of   liirhlwood 

(resinous   pine),    bem  ;ith   ll:  •   arm.      Waxing  their   lights  across  the 

il.-irknoss.  they  WCP6  BOOD  BWay,  tiio  tilimmer  of  the  torches   sliowin^ 

more  and  more  f;iintly  at  every  moment  through  the  thick  woods  of 

imp.      Tin- d"1:-  \\ell   knew  tin;  dutie-   required  of  ihem,    and 

thev    trotted   oil'  in   silence,   slow   coursing    \\ith    their    no^es  to  the 

earth. 

interrujitif)!!    lasted    but    a    moment  .     and     while    some    of 


TIM:   1:1  i;  ] 

•  rty    ivniainini:    in    the    camp  i    aN.tit    tl 

drmvxirii:  ,,,-  talking,  other-  drew  forth  from  sainted  wall. -is  their 
well  thumbed  pack-  .if  cardt,  A  crazy  \iolin  bc^an  to  ii 

m    the    end    of   a    fallen    tree   on    i',.  :"    the    ham- 

inrf    tin-    (!<•(  :i\  iui:     liut     erect     branchi -x    of    which     the 
musician    leaned,    while    his     1,  ,1     the    trunk;    and    other 

preparations   were   made   for  still   Otlter   in...1.. 
of  the   niirht.   hut    few    bein^  di-po-ed    to   -ive   any    h«  - 
For   t'nat    matter,    there    \\as    little    IM  .  d    ,,f 

nuinhcr.       They     had     slept,    the  i.    throii-li    the 

,<:realrr  part  <>f  the  day   itreecedinir.  wliile   in  !:  "'I'lie 

11  ami   while   waiting  ».:i   tln>   m«,v.  in.  nN  of  BingletOD   « hiring 

•ifereiiee    with    Williamson    n«-:ir    I/ard's    camp.       ! 
ino-tly  hri.Lrht.   tlierefore,  for  the  contemplated   n-u-U.  of  \\  i 
sort.     A    wild  dance,    ratlier  more   Indian   than  ei\ 
the  tiddle  of   tl,.  man   of   the  tfnuip,  which  «ii.!.d   finally 

in  a  glorious  .stni.irurK-  to  draw  »-ach  other  into  the  tin-,  around 
which  they  circled  in  the  nuM  hcwilderim:  ma/es.  —  Such 
I'lL'Un  -  Tai'lioiin  allied  of.— Little  heedimr  ti, 

had    his    circle    bu-v    in    a    ruhltrr    <>f    whi-t;    while    yet 
anotiii-r  L'r.-up  wa-;   deeply    buried   in   the   m\  n  up." 

"old    s!.-d_rr."    or.    to    sj-eak     BlOTe    t..    ti  '       \\'c 

nei  d   not    follow   the  proLrrc-s  of   th.  army. 

lally    invetera'  igh    that    much 

at    it-  .'cd    \alue.    chaii-cd    h.,i:.N    in    th. 

an    h..ur's     play  .     fortune    ha\  i  to    the    [ 

ph.  r.     l'":L:y.     leaving     him     minus     fifteen     hundr.il    d«'l; .: 
sum    which.   ar«-onlinir    t"    the    then    state    of    the   currency,    would 
not     ha\e    vuiljeed    I.)    buy    for    the    win: 

"  Cone  and  quit  t "  cried  the  corpulent  lieutenant. 

il  u<.    1'ritchard.  h..\v 

M-VSXOU    (.f   that    juur  Wr    \\ill    t 

a.irain  \\hile  y.-u  t.  11   \ 

his  liipiora  full   hour  aft.:  Mian  just   \\hen   he   i 

eatim:       the    palate    then    has    no    preju.; 

_The  party  replenished  their  h<  tfl  fashion 

and  Prichunl  replied 


K.  \THAi;  INK    WAI.T'>\. 


"You  must   know  that    when   the1  colonel  and  Mi^s  Walton  came 

out  to  meet  her  father  that  night  when  we  gave  Ualfour's  regulars 

such  a  scare  and  tramp,  they  went  forward  l.cyond  the  rice  -tacks. 
leaving  me,  Tom  Leonard,  and  somebody  else—  Dill  Mitchell,  I 
think  it  was,  though  I  can't  say"  — 

"  No  matter  who  —  go  ahead." 

"Well,  time  of  us  ^ere  left  in  the  little  wood  of  scrubby 
oaks  between  the  stacks  and  the  dwelling,  as  a  sort  of  watch. 
Who  should  ci  me  along,  a  little  after  the  colonel  and  the  lady  had 
BP,  the  negro!  Him  A\  e  captured,  and  lie  made 
terms  with  us  immediately,  giving  up  his  prog;  and  his  hands  wen- 
full—  this  jug  of  Jamaica,  a  small  cheese,  and  a  hag  of  smoked 
tongue." 

"Smoked  tongue  and  cheese!  And  you  mean  to  say,  Sergeant 
Pritchard,  that  you  have  suffered  these  most  important  medicines 
to  IK-  hi-!  '.'  Smoked  tongues  and  cheese  '  What  have  you  done 
with  them  ?  I  have  seen  none  of  them 

"  I  know  better  than  that,  lieutenant.  We  hadn't  well  got 
;  ion  of  the  negro  and  the  pro\  Mons,  In-fore  the  cur-ed  bugle 

sounded.      The   negro  dodged  ;  Tom    Leonard    took    the   back   track 
to  give  the  alarm;    and   where   Hill   Mitchell   went—  if    'twas   lie  — 
no  telling;  hut   the  jug,   the  bag,  and  the  chee-e  lay  at   my 
feet.      Was  I  to  lnx«.  tin-in  —  to  leave  them?" 

•   It  would  have  been  cowardice  —  nay,  treason  —  had  you  done 
nt  I'ritchard." 

"I  knew  Unit,  lieutenant;  and,  gathering  up  the  good  tilings, 
I  pushed  out  for  the  gr<  at  bay  lying  west  of  the  mansion,  and  had 
ju-t  time  to  hide  myself  and  the  jug  "- 

"  The  tongue  and  ch»  The  tongue,  the  "  — 

"Oli,  I  hid  them  lob;  and  there  they  lay  saMy.  in  the  hollow  of 
ft  rypre-s.    while    I    made   my    way.  after   the   red    coals   had    p 
back    to    the    camp.      We    took    the    circuit    by    the   bay,    "Alien    we 
pushed    for  the   cypress,   and    I   then    picked    them   up   and   brought 
them  otT.      I  have  them  all  here  in  safety." 

"It  is  \\i-ll  that  you  have  '  Yet  did  you  trille  terribly  with  the 
safety  of  the-.-  valuable  stores.  Two  days  and  nights  hidden  in  u 
e\  pn  H  hole,  and  not  a  word  said  about  them  !" 

"  I  kneu  that  we  had  jJenty  of  venison." 


Tin:   REVEL, 

.?     they    mi-lit    lia\c    been     found    by    the    enem  . 

I'ritchard.      They    ink'hl     have   -livldened    tin-    hearts    ,,f  ih,-   I'hilis- 
tin.  | 

••  I  hiil  them  t.»o  well  for  that." 

"They  tniuht  have  been  eaten  up  liy  the  WO 

•'  I    thrust    them    up    the    hollow,   ami  put    a    ei  up  to 

!:i    them." 
"  II  is    well  that    you  took    tln-e   pn •.  autions.        Had    the\ 

1'ritchard,      I     would     have     brought     you    to     the     halbreds. 
riling,    so     iieee--ary    to    our    eomini->ariat     and     medieinc- 
cliest,    are    n..t    to    In-    p.  riled    idly;    and   when    they    are    t; 

, -ity.  the  trust  beeoines  more  snend  still.  You 
your  stars.  Prit<  hard,  that  the  llavor  of  this  .lamiea 
lent  "  —  smacking  his  lips  alter  the  dram  :,:  I  feel  that  I  must 

ill." 

••  I  -hould    like  a  little   supir   in    mine."  >uid    one  of   the   y«>un.-.r 
fello\\s  shctehini;  out  his  horn." 

iaimed    1'or-y.      "What    sacril-  -e '  "    ^'-'iii-    man. 
where   did  \«.ur    ediuation?        \\'oii!d     \  oil    >p,-il    a 

cordial    of  such    purity    as    this    \\itli    nny     wretelnd    -acrlirim-    in- 
fii-i.-ir.'    S::  lor   liml   rum,    not   for   uood :      '1'ake   it    as  it 

is;  drink  it.  however  unworthy  of  it.  but  do  not  detile  i\ 
such  an  olTense  against  |.n»p.-r  ta^te  U  tlii-.  WCT8  ju-tiee  d 
fellow  should  have  a  baker's  doyen  on  his  |,:,r,.  b:iek." 

Tin-    youth    \\as   Lrlad    to    r«.i\e   the    put  ion    as.sLMied    him.    and 

.ilow  it  at  a  LM.lp.  unsweetened. 
"  And  How.   bo\  s  "        they      had    DI 

inir.   ami    had    Lralh«r«d    anumd    our   rpit-ui-  "and   n«.\\ . 

it    lael.  hour  to  the   morniiiL'."  said    : 

ilver    \\ateh.    almo  d    round    as   a    Duteli    tur- 

i.l    holding   It    uj)   to   the    tirelitrht. 

1  im  • 

OUT     poet   '.'         \\  here's      Dei:!   '.       '  i  f      till' 

creature.      He   must  drink,    and   irivr    us   s(,metliin-.      I    km. •••• 

for    the    last    th!'  verse*. 

Where  is  he  /     I'.rini:  him  forward'  " 

The    |>oet  of  the    camp  unei'iled   from    th    ragged  camlet    under 
which    he     had     been    inii-in^     rather     than    ilrow-iii^' -     •'» 


1*  1  K  AT!  I  A  I!  INI.    WALTON. 

youth  of  twenty-live,  with  lon.ir  and  massive  hair,  Mack  and 
disordered,  that  rolled  down  upon  liis  shoulders  ;  and  a  merrv 
dark  eye  that  seemed  to  indicate  the  exuberance  of  animal  life 
rather  than  thought  or  contemplation.  He  drank,  though  without 

seeming  to  desire,  the  beverage,  ami  was  then  assaileii  i»\-  iWirv  for 

his  sunn;  (ir  story. 

"  You've  been  scribbling,  I  know,  in  your  eternal  book.  Let's 
we  what  you've  done." 

The  ]i..ct  knew  too  well  the  parly  with  whom  lie  nad  to  deal, 
and  he  indulged  in  no  unnecessary  affectation.  lie  had  become 
quite  too  well  accustomed  to  the  requisition  of  the  cam])  not  to 
understand  that,  in  moments  like  the  present,  e:i<  h  member  had 
to  make  his  contribution  to  the  common  stock  of  enjoyment. 
The  hour  had  properly  come  for  his.  The  animal  excitement 
of  the  company  had  pretty  well  worked  oil,  and  the  moods  of 
nearly  all-  the  phy-ical  man  heinsj;  somewhat  exhausted  — 
Were  prepared  for  more  intellectual  enjoyment.  He  pr> 
his  readiness,  and  the  partisans  (locked  in  to  ^cj  proper  places 
near  ihe  lire.  Tiny  crowded  close  about  the  poet,  some 
others  kneeling,  and  others  in  the  background,  who  \\ished  to 
hear,  stretching  themselves  over  the  heads  and 
shoulders  «>f  those  more  ti.rtm::ile  in  having  found  places  within 
the  circle.  Meanwhile,  new  liirht wood  brands  were  thrown  upon 
the  lire,  and  the  tlanies  bla/.ed  up  gloriously,  in  singular  con 
trast  \\illi  the  gloomy,  but  <;Totesque  shadows  of  the  siirround- 
'•< •-!.  And  thus,  with  an  audience  admiralty  disposed  to 
be  appreciative,  nowise  ea^er  to  be  critical,  and  hv  no  means 
persuaded  that  fault  finding  is  one  of  the  most  essential  prods  ,,f 
judgment,  the  poet  ()f  the  partisans  spun  his  yarn,  in  a  rude  wild 
TO,  \\eil  adapted  to  his  audience  and  the  times. 

He  i;ave  th;  in  a  mournful  and  exciting  ball-id,  recounting  one 
of  the  frequent  CVCnta  Of  tli"  v.  ar.  \\ithin  their  o\\n  e\|)erieiiee 
-the  mui'der  of  "He  ()f  their  most  youthful  comrades,  while  on 
liis\\a\  t..  860  his  mistress,  a  heartiful  .l^irl  of  Ulaek  Miniro.  who 

v.ent   b\    the  name  of    the  "Beauty   of    P.ritton's   Neck."     Her 

name  was  lii'itton,  and  that  of  her  lover  Culvert.  As  the  ballad 
of  our  poet  would  oeeiipy  too  much  space  to  appear  in  these 
pages,  we  shall  rive  the  Utorv  in  prose,  ('ahcrt  left  the  (anio 


•with     Marion's    permi—ion.      It     wa-    n •innnln n  d.  i.    that 

Marion,    on    ^rantinir  leave   to  the    \ 

1    t<>    him    with  i,  out, 

for  it    i- 

.    that    he 

IK-rhap-.     forgot     the    uilvic:-.       Hi'    fell    int..    | 
for   liiin    by    one    Martin,    who  tin-   lover    of    ' 

and      \vho    h.-nl  i '  .    the    route    u-ual!y  y    Culvert. 

Miirtiii    was    ll.i'    leader    of    a   small    band    «•! 
(In  in    to'jetlier    \\ith  luring 

hi-   ri\al.    \\hoin    he    finally   slew   in   cold    b! 1.     Then,    ruling  to 

of    Mi-.    Hritton.    he    rudely    thrust   hi*    lr<;|' 

and    pistol-    .,f    I. 

ill    Well    known    to    her.      The   .-ear!"    \vhieh    she    had    \\  ' 
for  him  with  her  own   hand-,  s'ill   ir.oi-t    with    hi-   bl«-o<l,  \\ 
spread    lie  fore    In  r  ;    and.    overawed    l>y    the    threa: 
ado,    the    mother    <»f   the   .irirl    not    only    con-«  nled    that    he 
liave  her,  but  proei-rded   to  in-i-t  UMUI  ber  daughter's   imiiH'di 
ceptaliee   of   the  hand    which    had    been   so    fiv-hly   -tained    with    the 
blood  of  her  bet  p.thi  d. 

Mary  I'.ritton  -.  em.  d  toion-ent  ;   but.   walchin-  her  opportunity, 
ntrhed     to    -te.-d     away     from     -i_-hi.     • 

'able,   and  to  ride  away  1«>  Ih- 

i-in,  but  a  few  miles  oil.  without  awakening:  the  aj-pn-i, 
of    the   lOlieS,      The     part: 

down      upon      Martin's     ^aiii:.      who     were     Mirpri-nl     and 
caj'tive  to  a  man  -      Martin   himself  having  but   a   : 
-nib  rin-  ,i(.:,t|,  U|MII1  tl,, 

be. n   found. 

Siu-h   \va-  the  ballad  of  our   :  '.   whieh   I 

sati-fy    the  critical  n  i|ui-iti.>n-  of   mo-i  ,,f   bil  ComptllJ 
tenant     :  lone,    per'.  N"l    that    In 

from    the    narrati  ::-«t    unwi: 

admit  that   hi-  -eii-ibiliii«  K  lied  ijui1. 

!  ;    hut  hi  :.  uhil«- 

of  indii:nation  a^ji! 

:,ted    himself    with   ihowlng  that   tin-  J-H-I   was  not 
perfect 


r;»;  KATHARINE  WALTON. 

"  I  was  one,  the  Lord  be  praised,"  exclaimed  Pritchanl,  ";it  the 
stringing  up  of  that  vile  beast,  Martin.  He  died  like  a  coward,  though 
lie  lived  lik 

11  Pretty  much  the  case  always.  I've  seldom  known  a  man  who 
hadn't  Imu't,  who  had  courage.  1  suppose.  Dennixni,  you're  a.-  near 
the  truth  in  that  story  as  you  could  he.  You  have  all  the  facts,  and 
yet  you  are  not  truthful." 

"How  so,  lieutenant  ''."  inquired  the  poet  with  an  air  of  pique. 

"  Y<>u  lack  simplicity.  You  have  too  many  big  words  and  big 
figures.  Now,  the  essence  of  the-  ballad  is  simplicity.  This  i^  par 
ticularly  necessary  in  a  performance  where  the  utmost  fullness  and 
particularity  of  detail  are  insisted  upon.  Here,  you  do  not  generali/e. 
You  compass  the  end  aimed  Jit  °y  elaborate.'  touches.  The  eilVct  is 
reached  in  a  dramatic  way;  and  you  are  called  upon  to  detail  the  par 
ticular  look,  the  attitudes,  and,  as  closely  as  possible,  the  very  words 
of  the  speaker.'' 

"  Would  you  have  had  me  introduce  all  the  oaths  of  the  outlaw  ?" 
demanded  Denni^on. 

"No;  but  some  of  them  are  essential  —  enough  to  show  him 
truthfully,  and  no  more.  What  I  mean  to  require  throughout 
the  ballad  i»  that  wrt  of  detail  which  you  have  given  us  where 
you  make  the  old  lady  take  Mary  Urilton  to  the  kitchen,  to 
argue  with  her  in  favor  of  marrying  .Martin.  When  you  make  the 
poor  -irl  say,  '  You  too  against  me,  mother'/'  you  reach  the  perfec 
tion  of  ballad  writing.  Had  the  whole  story  been  written  in  this 
Style,  Dennison,  J  should  have  a-ked  a  copy  at  your  hands, 
and  should  have  preserved  it  in  my  wallet  through  the  cam 
pai'jn." 

"Along  with  his  smoked  venison  and  mouldy  cheese,"  sotto 
wee,  said  the  disappointed  Dennison  to  one  of  his  companions, 
as  lie  turned  away.  A  capacious  yawn  of  Lieutenant  Porgy 
was  the  tit  finish  of  a  criticism,  of  which  we  have  given  but  a 
small  specimen  ;  and  tin-  parly,  following  hi-  example,  dispersed 
to  their  lever*!  OOVerS,  seeking  that  sleep  for  \\hich  the  poem 
and  the  critique  had  somewhat  prepared  them,  just  as  the  faint- 
reakfl  of  morning  were  be-inning  to  show  themselves 
through  the  tops  of  the  eypres  >•  ,  \Vi:h  daylight  the  coon- 
hunters  came  in,  bringing  with  them  sundry  trophies  of  their 


m 

.  ami    were   .-«>oii   after    followed   by  another   party   \\  : 
jii>t  left  t'olonel  \Yalion.      AiiiMiiiMi.. 

-mall  im|M>rtance   in   the  e,  Framplon.     The 

rea-m  of  this  int.  ln-i  n  mi  the 

-iiiu-  lime,  ami  met  (Jrilliii  on  his  return,  on  thr  «mt>kirLs 
of  thr  c.-llllp. 

••  An-l  ln>\\-  JN  all.  sir':  "   \va>  tin-  rather  he-itatini:  nurstimi. 
"  All  well.  Lance,  and  Kllni  M-MI!> 
11-  t«»«.k    from  hi-  !••••.< »m.   a-    he    - 

knitted    recently,    and    handeil    them    \»  the  yon: 
\vith    a    p>od  natured    s;ni!e.       The     latter    received     them     \v;lh    a 
lilu^h.    and   hurrinlly  tlirust    them    into    his  nv.u  ln.v,,m.      It  was  a 
curious  trift   from  a  maiden    to    her    lover,   1ml    not   le<s  |«re.  : 

a  Lrift  i>ec;r.  iiomeline— .    Let  ofl  leave  the  cy  prete  camp  to 

:'or   the   next    three   hours.     At    IKM.D.    i 

nil  in   motion,    scouring   tlcetly    BCn  -mtry   in  a   D01 

direction. 

8* 


1 78  K  AT  J 1  A  U I  M : 


CUA  PTEB     \  I  X. 

BKBIMMAOE. 

ON  the  same  day  which  witnessed  the  departure  of  our  .squad 
;>f  |i;irlis;ins  from  the  swamps  of  the  Ash!,  y  CjrprCBS,  Singleton, 
otherwi-e  Fui'iies-,  took  a  friendly  I'-uvc  of  his  ne\v  acquaintance, 

Major  Proetor,  of  the  British  army.  We  have  seen  with  how 
nineh  sympathy  these  youn^  men  came  together;  and  \vc  may 
add  that  not  a  single  selfish  feeling  \vas  at  work,  in  either 
bosom,  to  impair  the  friendship  thus  quickly  established.  Our 
({iioiiil.-iiu  loyalist,  repe/ited  liis  injunctions  to  his  friend,  to  be 
\\ar\  and  patient  in  his  encounters  \sith  his  subtle  enemy 
Yaii-han,  \\hose  equal  coolness  and  lack  of  principle  \\civ  sub 

f  sullicient  apprehension  to  his  mind.  I»ut  \ve  ha\e  no 
need  to  reii"\v  his  counsels  and  exhortations.  Jt,  i>  enough, 
thai  the  friends  separated  with  real  feelings  of  symjiathy  and 
',  and  that  the  advice  of  Singleton,  well-meant  and  MO- 
sible,  was  such  as  1'n.ctor  pj-omised  to  ..l)-er\c  and  follow. 
Thru  they  parted  \\ilh  a  warm  shake  of  the  hand;  1'roetor  n- 
turnin.ir  to  "T!i<  0  and  Sin^leti  n.  as  l.-yaliM  captain  of 

ritles,  pu.shin.LC  «'vei-  to  Dorchester,  where  he  was  to  join  the 
train  of  wagons  und.  r  the  68CO11  of  Lieutenant  Meadows,  \\lio 
broii-lit  him  l<-j UTS  both  irom  lialfour  and  \Villiainsnn.  Th«'>'- 
from  the  latter  were  «.f  a  rharacJi  r  td  keep  up  the  nn»-  which 
liad  been  a-n cd  upon  lietweeii  himself  and  our  partisan.  They 
.sritten  to  the  old  acquaintance  of  Williamson  in  the  inte 
rior,  and  were  ostensibly  designed  to  brinLr  them  over  to  the 

allegiance.  \\'e  may  add  that  they  had  been  submilteif 
to  I Jal four's  inspi'<  lion,  as  a  matter  of  poliry.  Williamson  had 

!    notion    that    !.  would    ever   reach   their  destination 


SKRIMMAGE.  I  ;:» 

or.  if    they   did   BO,   thai   they    could  -ibly    help   tin-    ! 

\Ve  -hall  net  endeavor  1"  detail  tin-  hourly  pi 

iiinit  and  train  under  the  charge  of   Lieutenant    .M>  .!*uini; 

.i  known  military  mute  to  Camden  n\.     They 

mm.  .1  >!o\vly  ,  tin   eu-iit*  occurring  and  of  little  i: 

•  at    well  known  pl.i  Land  in  .-oiiir  IV\\  place*  \\  In  re 

the  labors  of  a  plantation  were  still  imperfecth  tarried  on  \\itha  few 
the  country  set  med  almo.*.t  wholly  abandoned.      Smirk-ton  was 
rather  plea*ed  than  oiherwi*e  to  find  in  Lieutenant    MeadOWl    I 
sublime  specimen   of  the  supercilious  .lulin    Hull;  a  prr-.-n  ••!'  nion- 
decided  horns  than  head,  nmli*h.  arrogant,  cold,  inflexible;  one  who 
had    rcliiriou-ly    imbibed,    as    with    his  mother's  milk,  all   the  usual 
scornful    prejudices  of  hi-   tribe   toward   the   provincials,    and    \\ho, 
accordingly,  encouraged  no  sort  of  intimacy  with  the  H] 
tain  of  loyalists.     This  relieved  our  parli-an  from  all  that   c-m'1 
meni  which  he  miirht  have  felt,  with  rcirml  to  hi-  future   o|>erations, 
had   tlic  lieutt nant    been   a    -nod    fellow,  and  had   he  shown  him-.  If 
•d  to  fall  into  friendly  intercourse.      15m   let   us   hurry   to  the 
event. 

It  was  towanl  the  close  of  the  second  day  after  the  «i 

in  Dorchester  that  .Meadows  had  the  tir>t  intimation 
o|  probable  danger  from  an    enemy.      His    \\ariiiriir.    IMWI-VIT.  only 
came  with  the  blow,  and  quite  loo  late  to  allow    him   cither   t 
the  danger,  or  properly  to  Lruard   aL'aiiM    it.      Siii-L  dlojKHl 

olTlolhe  fro?it.  and  \\  as  purstiini;  his  way  entirely  alone.   >ome  two 
hundred  \ard-  in  advance  of  the  party,      lie  h:.  . 
that  the  moment  drew  niirh  for  the  cm  ounter  with  hi*  followers,  and 

:  to  withdraw  from  .  :uity  with 

Only  indisposed  tO  Show   bin  :>anionable.  but    who   iniL'ht.  by 

•.er  in  the  •  mch  more  of  the  truth   • 

!••  for  our  par'  Furne-s      that    he   should 

know.     The  wlnJe  train,   with  its  m  -illy  ili-trilmUfl 

in    front   and    rfar  had   entered   a    1  .  le  in  a 

thickly-set  foivM.  \\iien  Binglel  nd   b\  a   u-r,  known 

whistle,  that    the    inoim-nt    was   at    hand    for    the    atta.  k.      II 


180  KATHAIMNK    \\  A  !  .M  »  N  . 

accordingly,  not  ;i  whit  startled  at  tin-  wild  yell  and  tin-  sharp  -h"!s 
with  which  the  onset  was  begun. 

".Marion's  men!  Mai-ion's  men!  Hurrah!"  was  tin-  slogan 
which  startled  suddenly  the  great  echoes  of  the  wood,  and  caused  an 
instant  sensation,  only  short  of  utter  confusion  in  the  ranks  of  the 
British  detachment. 

Hut  Meadows,  with  all  his  faults  of  taste  and  temper,  was  some 
thing  of  a  soldier,  and  never  lo-t  his  composure  for  a  moment.  He 
hurried  forward,  with  the  first  signal  of  alarm,  and  shouted  t«>  his 
men  with  a  cheerful  courage,  while  lie  sought  to  bring  them  to  a 
closer  order  and  to  confront  the  enemy,  who  were  yet  scarcely  to  be 
seen.  Smirk-ton,  meanwhile,  wheeled  about  as  if  suffering  greatly 
from  surprise,  yet  drawing  his  sword,  nevertheless,  and  waving  it 
above  his  head  with  the  air  of  a  person  in  very  desperate  circum 
stances.  He  was  then  distinctly  seen  to  rush  boldly  upon  the  assail 
ing  Americans,  who  had  now  completely  interposed  themselves 
Ix-twecn  him  and  the  British. 

It  will  not  need  that  we  should  follow  ///*  particular  movements. 
It  will  be  quite  as  easy  to  conjecture  them  Let  us  give  our  attention 
wholly  to  the  affair  with  the  detachment,  which  was  -hort  and  sharp 
as  if  was  sudden.  They  were  a— ailed  equally  in  front  and  rear.  At 
first.  U  he  beheld  the  cavalry  of  the  partisans,  and  heard  their  bugles 
sounding  on  every  hand,  Meadows  conceived  himself  to  be  dealing 
wholly  with  that  description  of  force.  lie  accordingly  commanded 
liis  wago iis  in  \\heel  about  and  throw  themselves  ftCTOftfl  the,  road  at 

both  extremities,  thus  seeking  to  clote  all  the  avenues  which  would 

facilitate  the  charge.  Hut  he  n  ckoned  without  his  host.  His 
operation  was  only  in  part  succ<  ->ful  ;  since,  lie  fore  the  movement 
could  lie  fully  made,  the  troop, T-  were  already  culling  do\\  n  his 
wagoners.  Hut  thi-  \\asnotall.  The  rangers  of  Singleton  began  to 
show  them-elves,  darkly  ureen.  or  in  their  blue  uniforms,  among 
the  trees  which  occupied  the  intervals,  and  every  sharp  crack  of  the 
ritle  brought  down  its  chosen  victim.  Meado\\s  himself  \\a>  already 
slightly  wounded  in  his  In  idle  arm,  and,  u  heeling  about  his  steed  in 
the  direction  of  the  si,,,),  he  found  himself  confronted  by  a  group 
just  making  their  way  out  of  cover,  and  darting  boldly  upon  him. 


SKRimCAQK,  1M 

II'     <l.ipped  -pur-    in    li  'id    iiu-l    the    leader   of   the   as 

.ill-,  \\liM.  (.11    fi.Mi.  had     reached    the    open   mad  -pa<  ••.    ami  was 
entirely    \\itlulrawu    from    the    shelter   of    the    thicket.     Thi- 
son    \\a-    no   other    than    our   epicurean    friend,    Liciitcnai 
\\lio.    with    an    audacity    quite    incoii-i.-tant    with    hi- 

1  with  .-word  uplifted  to  the  eiK-ounter  with  the 
Urili-!i  i;«-iit« -nani.  A  -in-le  clash  of  sword-,  and  the  Itclter- 
tcnij  !  of  the  Englishman  cut  sheer  through  the  inferior 

metal    of    the    American,  sending    one    half    of    the    shattered    blade 
into   the    air  and    de-cendin^  upon    the    ch<  inflicting 

and    taking   olT   the    tij»   of    hi-   war.      Another  l"l<.\v 
ini.irlit    have    been    fatal.      Meadows    had     recovered    from    the     fir-t 
movement,    and    his    Made    wa-   already    whirled    aloft    for   tin 
ne\\;d   ..f  the   stroke,  when    1'or-v,  drawitiir  a   pistol    from   his  U-lt, 
the    hor-e  ..f    lii-   enemy   through   the   head.     The    animal   fell 
suddenly    upon     ]\\<    knees    and    then    rolled     over    perfectly    d< 
The    -word    of     Meadow^    -truck     harmle— ly     upon    the   earth,    he 
l)einur    pinioneil   to    the    Around    by    one   of    \i\<    l-'ir^.   upon 
the     dead     animal     lay.      In     this     predicami  nt .    \aiidy    en- 
dea\"iin-    1.)    wield    and    to    u-e    his    -word,    he    thr<  aten, d     1' 
at     hi-     approach.     Tin-     lalier.     -till     L-ra-piin:     his    (,\\M     bi 
POO,    \\hirh    \\as    reduced    to     the    hilt    and     M.IIIC    ei-ht   ii 
<»nly     of     the     blade,     totally     undeterred     by     the    demon-tration 
of    the     r.riton.    ru-hdl     incontineiitally    upon    him.    and,    in    a 
tally    unexpected    form    of     attack,    threw    hi-    gigtotic    luilk    • 
the     body     of     the     pn.-trate     Meadow-,     whom     he    co|llpl<'' 
eivd.     The    other     -t  niif-led     lien-ely     beneaih.     and 

1  arm    five,  m  :    de-|M-rai 

but  I'oriry  so  completely  be-traddled   him  that    lie  1  only   in 

inllictini:  ikei  u|nm  the  broad  -houldersof  the  epicure, 

who  requited  them  with  ;he  mouth  with  the  iron 

hilt  of  his  broken  -word. 

"  It'-    no    u-e.    my  line  fellow  .    your    faith  may    remove   moun 
tains,    but    your    Minvnder    only    shall    nm..ve    me.      YOU 
tive    to  my    liow    and    .spear.      Halloo    '  *BOUgh  I'   now.    if  \  on   w  i-h 
for  iin 

And.     stretchmi:    himself    out    on    every    hand,    with    arn 
tended    and    U-gs    -omewhat    rai-"l    »u   tin-    N-dy    of   thu    dead   horse 


X82  KATHAKIM:  WALTON. 

Porgy    looked    down    into  the   very   eyes   of  his  prisoner     hi- 
beard,  meanwhile,  well    sprinkled   with  gray,  lying    in   masses  upon 
the  mouth  and  tilling  the  nostrils  of  the  Lnglishman,  who  was  thus 
in  no  small  danger  of  suffocation. 

"  \\'ill  nobody  relieve  me  from  this  elephant  ?"  gasped  the  halt- 
strangled  Meadows. 

"  Klephanl  I"  roared  Porgy.  "  I»y  the  powers,  but  you  shall  feel 
my  grinders  :  " 

His  good  humor  was  changed  to  -'all  by  the  offensive  exprefl 
sion,  ami  he  had  already  raised  tlie  fragment  of  his  broken 
sword,  meaning  to  pumell  the  foe  into  submission,  when  his 
arm  was  arrested  by  Singleton,  now  appealing  in  his  appropriate 
character  and  costume.  Meadows  was  extricated  from  horse 
and  elephant  at  the  same  moment,  and  by  the  same  friendly 
agency,  and  rose  from  the  ground  sore  with  bruises,  and  panting 
with  heat  and  loss  of  breath. 

"It  is  well  for  him,  Colonel  Singleton,  that  you  made  your 
appearance.  I  had  otherwise  beaten  him  to  a  mummy.  Would 
you  believe  it?  —  he  called  me  an  elephant!  M«-  !  Me  an  ele 
phant  !  " 

"  He  had  need  to  do  so.  lieutenant  ;  and  this  was  rather  a 
compliment  than  otherwise  !•>  y«>ur  mode  of  warfare.  He  felt 
yours  to  be  a  power  comparable  only  to  the  mighty  animal  to 
which  he  had  reference.  It  was  the  natural  expression  of  his  feel 
ing>.  I  am  sure,  and  not  by  way  of  offence." 

"  I  forgive  him,"  was  the  response  of  I 'orgy,  as  lie  listened  to  this 
explanation. 

"Colonel  Singleton.  I  believe,  sir?"  said  Meadows,  tendering 
his  sword.  "The  fortune  of  the  day  is  yours,  rff.  Here  is  my 
sword.  I  am  Lieutenant  Meadows,  late  in  command  of  this  de 
tachment." 

Singh-ton  restored  the  weapon  graciously,  and  addressed  a  few 
courteous  sentences  to  his  prisoner  ;  but,  by  this  time,  I 'orgy  diseov 
ered  that  his  car  had  \n>\  a  thin  but  important  slice  from  its  pulpy 
extremity.  His  annoyance  WM  extreme,  mid  his  ,-mger  rose-  as  In- 
discovered  the  full  nature  of  his  loss. 

"  Sir—  Lieutenant  Meadows."  >aid  he— "you  shall  give  me. 
personal  satisfaction  for  this  outrage  the  moment  \  "U  are  ex 


BKBI1OCJ  Is:! 

chain:' d.      You    hav.-    done    me    an    irreparable    injur  have 

marked  me  for  life,  sir— dven  me  the  brand  <»f  a  horsethief  —  (aken 
oil  one  of  my  <  -ars!  (  >ne  nf  my  eai 

my    dear    lieutenant,"    said    Sinirli -ton.       "Only    the 

ibli'    tip    from    the   extremity.      OfK»     heale.l    it    will 

ne\«r   be   >,-•  ii.      T!   MV   is   IK.   sort   of  deformity.      You   wen-   rather 

full   in    Unit   quarter,    and   could    >p:iiv   -  >m<  ihinj    of    the    develop 

nient." 

"  Wen-  I  sure  of  that !  " 

"  It  i*  K>,  believe  me.      Tho  tliinir  will  never  In-  Ol 

have  006*1  OUI  «T  D08C  -lit,  sir"-  to  the  Mritun  —  '  is.  I  have 
alwayx  heen  taiiLrht.  the  greatest  indignity  that  eouid  IN-  intlii  ted 
upon  a  LTentleman." 

'  1  tin  BOiry,  sir/1  -aid  Meadows— very  M.rry.  Hut  it  \\as 
the  fortune  ..[  \\-.\\\  Helieve  me,  I  had  no  idea  «.f  making  -ucli  a 
wound."  * 

D  understand  that,  sir.  You  were  intent  oidy  in  takini:  "tT 
my  head.  I  am  satisfied  that  you  did  not  m0C6ed  in  tliat  «•! 

M   to  losiiiLf  my  .  ar,  I   >hotdd  have  lieen  particularly  unroin 

fortahle  at  the  loss  <.f   my  head.      Hut.  if   my  ear   had    been    maimed. 

I    -Ih.uld    have   had    my  reven-,..      And    even    n..w.  -hoiild    there 

really  lie  a    percej. til. le  deticieiny.  there  shall    !•«•  more    l.-t^t    l.l,.ws   be- 

Us." 

The  Hritish  lieutenant  howed.  polit.-ly.  as  if  t«>  declare  his 
readine-s  i,.  a!T«»rd  any  neci-ssary  -alistadion.  |,ut  said  imiliini: 
in  reply.  Singleton  MilTen.l  th-  t'arth.-r. 

lull.  ilra\\in^  P.-rL-y  a-ide.  relinked  him  for  the  rude  manner  of 
his  address  to  a  man  \\ho-,,.  rifHfe  ''«'  liim«..-lf  ha.l  marked  for 
life. 

;  have  laid  \\\<  mouth  open,  broken  his  te«  th.  and  injured  his 

ami    he  a  youiiLT  felh-w,   too.   prol>al»ly   uninarrir<: 
whom  unliroken  features  are  of  the  last  importain 

'-nel.   think   of    my   ear;     fancy    it    *\\\\:\. 

t\\",    as     I    di,l.    and    you    will    allow    for   all     my    viol.-n, 
mark  of   the   pillory  oiiL'lit    to   sutlice   to   make   any    \\liit,'   man 
Iterate." 

It    is    jirohal'le    that     M  I,     \\hen    !  ••    aware    of    the 

true    state    of    his     motitli,    and     felt     his    <,\\n    di-ii'_Mirements,    was 


184  K  A  THAI:  INK  WALTON. 

even  more  unforgiving  than  Purify.  But  we  must  not.  in  this 
episode,  lose  sight  of  the  field  of  battle.  When  our  epicurean 
had  secured  the  person  of  the  British  lieutenant,  the  n flair  was 
nearly  over.  The  surprise  had  been  complete.  The  conflict 
was  as  short  as  it  was  sharp.  The  ambush  was  so  well  laid  as 
to  render  assistance  almost  unavailing;  yet  had  it  been  de-per- 
ately  made,  and  the  victory  \vns  not  won  by  our  partisans  without 
the  loss  of  several  gallant  fellows.  The  followers  of  Meadows, 
taking  the  example  of  their  leader,  fought  quite  as  long  and 
as  stubbornly  as  himself,  without  having  the  fortune  to  succumb 
to  such  a  remarkable  antagonist.  A  brave  sergeant,  with  a  small 
squad,  made  a  fierce  effort  to  cut  through  the  partisan  horse. 
but  was  slain,  with  all  his  party,  in  the  attempt.  This  was  the 
most  serious  part  of  the  British  loss.  The  detachment  was  so  com 
pletely  hemmed  in  on  every  side,  that  recklessness  and  despera 
tion  only  could  have  found  a  justification  for  tight  ing  at  all.  A 
prudent  soldier  would  have  been  prepared  to  yield  on  the  first 
'•ry  of  his  situation,  and  thus  avoided  any  unnee.  —  ;iry 
efTu»ion  of  blood.  But  Meadows  \va<  brave  without  being  cir 
cumspect.  His  own  account  of  the  atl'air,  as  contained  in  a  letter 
to  Balfour,  will  answer  in  the  place  -if  any  farther  details  of  our 
own. 

"To  1 1  is  Excellency,  NESBITT  B\i.nn  i:.  ESQ. 

SIR:  It  is  with  feelings  of  inexpiv— jble  mortification  that. 
I  have  to  inform  you  of  the  complete  overthrow  and  capture  <>f 
the  detachment  under  my  command,  by  an  overwhelming  force 
of  the  rebels  under  Colonel  Singleton,  of  Marion's  Brigade. 
We  Were  met  oil  the  route  to  Nel.-oii's  |-YlTV.  toward  siill-et  of 

'ond  day  after  leaving  horche-ter.  and  attacked  in  a  close 
defile  near  Haveners  plantation.  We  suffered  no  surprise,  our 
advance  fueling  their  way  with  all  possible  caution,  and  firmly 
led  by  Sergeant  Camperdown,  who,  1  am  ^>rry  to  mention,  fell 
finally,  mortally  wounded,  in  a  de-per.-ite  ell'ort  to  cut  h; 
through  the  ranks  of  the  enemy.  Several  of  my  brave  follow 
ers  perMied  in  the  same  desperate  attempt.  All  of  them  foiiulit 
steadily  and  brs'vely.  but  uithoiil  H1CC6M,  against  the  formida 
ble  numbers  by  which  we  were  surrounded.  Many  of  the  reb- 


3KRIX1U  1  x'» 

re   vlain   in   the  eni_rai:enient.   he  in:/  in»p  in   th* 

tlict  ,  but  I  have  no  means  nf  a>eertaimiiLr  their  precise  loss, 
since  they  have  studiously  concealed  their  ii.-:nl.  bavin-  borne 
them  auay  for  burial  to  the  thickets.  (  Mu 
ll  out  of  all  proportion  to  our  force;  th.  .  v:il«»r 
of  our  men  provokini:  the  enemy  to  tin-  nn>-t  unsparing  sever 
ity.  Kit  veil  of  them  were  -lain  outright,  ami  as  many  inon-  are 

to    perMi     from    their    wounds.       Three    of    th- 
.tit  <lo\vn    by  the  relirN  \\hile   calling    for  quarters.       I    my 
self    am    wounded,    though    not    seriously,    in    my    riirht    shoulder 
and    face;    and     I    am    sutTerinur   severely    from    bruises,    in 
of  my  horse,   which   was  killed,   fallini:  upon  me       1 
ly   fear    that    Captain    Fun:e-s.   (,f    the    ]oyali-N.   i-  abo  among   the 
slain.      I     have    seen     nothing   «>f    him    since    the    action,    and    the 
en«  m\  .-it    of    him.       He    behaved    very   well    in 

the  affair,   and    with  a    bravery   not    unworthy   his    majoty's    regU- 

rvfoa       He    Wt  :    to    jtarticular    IH-I-J!.   as.   with 

imprudence,   he  p.i-i-t.d    in   ridinur   in  advance  of    the   party,   leav- 

iderable    interval    between    himself    and    the   command. 

:  ,!     off     from    all     a^i>taiice.        \\'hen    la^t    Seen,    lu1 

ntendini:    une(|iially   with   no    h—  than   half    a  do/,  n  of   tin- 

relK-1    tr.H.p.r-.   \\lio   tinally   forced    him    out  of    the    fu-M    ami    into 

the   forest,    where  he  \\  a^  either  slain  oi  i    in    inakiiiL'    lii^ 

It    i-    m\     h..pe    that    he    ha<    done    K>.        lb-    i-    <  ertainly 

not     amoiiLf    the     pri-oners.        Colonel     Sin.uli  ton     was    not     at     the 

f    the    assailing    i>arty.       He    <  ame    up   and    took    command 

ju-t    a-     th-    ail'  iir     IfM    OW,       He 

attention  (|uitc    unusual    with   the    ivheK   and    holds  out   to  me  the 

He    ha>    already   hurried    off    the 

niptiir.  «,    l«y'the    -hortevt    route.    \,t    the    -  •Imuirli 

i  that   one  of    them    I.  H  tit   off    in   tlie  ..p|i<- 

rection.       I     truvt    that    your   excellency    \\ill    believe    that     ! 

.  uilty  of    :  'of   duty.      M 

acipiits  me,    tin. null    unfortunate,  of   any   culpable  •  to   Un 

safely  of   my  char-e.      I  have  the  honor  to  In-  your  excellency's  most 
obedient  humble  ><  rvant, 

I    .Mr.  \i>» 


isi;  KA THAI; INK  WAI. TON. 

This  Idler  was  written  the  day  after  the  action.  Of  tlx 
and  chagrin  of  Hal  four,  on  receiving  it,  \ve  shall  learn  hereafter. 
The  reader  will  note  that  portion  of  its  contents  which  describes  the 
Lrame  -unsuspected  by  the  IJriton  — which  was  played  liy  the 
rebel  colonel.  When  apparently  forced  from  the  field,  he  .simply 
retired  to  a  thicket,  where  he  changed  his  costume,  reappear 
ing,  shortly  after.  OD  the  tield  in  his  own  proper  character.  The 
alteration  in  hi-  rh  and  ireneral  manner,  was  so  thorough, 

as  elTeetually  to  deceive  the  British  lii'iitenant,  who  showed  him 
self  as  respectful  to  the  partisan  colonel  as  he  had  been  cavalier 
before  to  the  same  person  in  the  character  of  a  sin, pie  captain 
of  loyalists. 

The  affair  ended.  Singleton  proceeded  to  secure  his  captives, 
send  off  the  captured  wainms,  ;,nd  attend  to  the  wants  of  his 
wounded  and  the  burial  of  his  dead.  While  enpi^ed  in  this 
melancholy  duty,  he  was  suddenly  called  away  by  Lance  Framp- 
ton,  who  conducted  him  into  the  adjoining  thicket.  The  youth 
could  scarcely  speak  from  emotion,  as  he  communicated  the  in 
telligence  of  the  mortal  hurts  of  Walter  (Jrillin.  The  dyinu 
man  was  quite  sensible  as  Singleton  drew  ni.irh.  He  lay  beneath 
an  oak.  upon  a  heap  of  moss,  which  had  been  raked  up  hurriedly 
to  soften  that  Ited  of  earth,  to  the  coldness  and  hardness  of 
which  he  should  be  BO  M.OH  utterly  insensible.  His  friends 
weiv  around  him,  satisfied  as  well  as  himself,  that  assistance 
would  be  vain.  As  Singleton  and  Lance  Frampton  drew  niiih, 
the  youth  went  silently  and  took  his  place  at  the  head  of  the 
sufferer.  (Iriflin  had  done  _i_r<«>d  service  in  the  hnVade.  He  was 
a  LTeat  favorite  with  his  superiors.  Ke-eued  by  Singleton  from 
the  hands  of  a  blood-thirsty  lory,  named  darkens,  who  had 
made  himself,  his  wife  and  daughter,  prisoners,  and  who  was 
actually  preparin.ir  to  ham:  him  on  the  spot,  (Jritlin  acknowledged 
a  debt  of  gratitude  to  the  partisan,  which  rendered  his  fidelity 
a  pa  — ion.  His  word-,  on  the  approach  of  Singleton,  declared 
'•row-,  iint  at  his  own  fate,  but  that  his  service-  \\ere 
about  to  end. 

11  I've  foiiirht  my  la-t  ti-lit,  colonel  ;    I've  done  all  I  could.      If  \  "ii 
sav  I  have  done  my  duty  1  -hall  die  satisfied." 

"That     I    can    safely    say.    (irillin.       You    have    done    more  than 


your  duty.  You  have  <em-d  faithfully.  like  a  true  man 
your  country  .-hall  hi  ar  of  your  §ervice&  <  'an  we  do  m»th: 
you.  (IriHiu  r 

"  I  have  it  here.   eo]onel  — -  and  her.  •,,  i,js 

ihot,    and    here   a   l>a  ,  .   |.,,ih 

OOUgh.  I  fed  that  ill's  (TOT;  and  all  that  I  want  is  ti 
should  send  \vord  to  my  p«,,,r  wife  ami  daughter.  Thet 
watch.  r<,l,,nel  —  I've  -iven  it  to  La:  them  —  and  '.wo 

iruineas  in  money.  It's  all  I  have-not  much  — hut  wi! 
to  liny  corn  for  them  some  day  in  a  had  season.  Will  y. 

l(  'Del.  and  a  letter,  if  YOU  plea- 

'•  It  shall   IM-  done,  (Jrillin  ;  ami   I  will  add  a  liille  to  the  i: 
for  the  >ake  of  your  family.      You've   served    l«n-  and  well,  like   the 
rot  of  us  with  little  pay.     The  money-Chest   of  the  BritMi  that   has 
just   fallen  into  our  hands  makes  us  richer  than  u^ual.      Your   two 
ir-.iineas   >hall    he    made    ten.       Your   comrades    \\iil    >«•••    th.r 

:'ul  child  shall  never  sutV- 

Th.-  p '  fellow   \va<  much   affected,      He   tOOk  the  hand  of  Sing 
leton  and  carried  it  feel.ly  to  his  heart. 

"  I'm  sorry  to  leave  you.  nilom.-!.  nmv.  whiii-  every  man 
You  will  have  yj-ar-  of  fmhtin.ir.  and  I   xha'nt   IM-  thereto  help  y.ii. 
I  will   he  then-  :     (>h  '    COlODel,  if  the  spiriN  of  the  d.-Hii  may 
D  earthly  thin-s.  atler  the  ,:,rth  h  .    HI  L"» 

with    YOU    over  the     old   track^.       I'll   he    m\'h    y««u     \\  i 
drawing    triir^er    <.n    the    enemy  ;  and    if     I    can    whi-jH-r    t 
where  the   damrer    Hi •-.    «.r    shout    to   you    when  the    IM 
the  Charge,     \..u   shall    >!ill    hear     tl  ,  Qriffln     ri^iiiLT 

with    the    r-  [yio&'l     men    bojl  '        Hurrah  H        n     for 

I"    a    f«-w    hou  Dent       He    was    huried    in    the 

fore   he  died,    heneath  that    ^reat  old   in< 

—  luiried  at  midni-hl.    hy    the    li-ht    of    Ma/ii  ..,,„!    \\ell 

did    Ids    comra.i  'and    tin-  meaiiin-  of  that  wild   *,,!•  fr,.m 

PnmptOQ,  M  the  fll  -own  into  the  shallow 

upon  the  uncollincd  ;.p,  ,|  only  in  Ids  garments  as  he 

wore  them  in  the  fii:ht. 

The    niirht    was    nearly    eon-umed  in  this    mournful    . 
British    and    Amerieans    shar.  d    a    i<.|nn  i 


188  KATHARINE   \VAIT<>\. 

li.-iil  lost  several  of  their  \H-<\  men,  though  hy  no  means  tbc  large 
number  which  Meadows  had  assumed  in  his  letter  to  IJalfour. 
In  silence,  tlie  survivors  turned  away  from  the  <  emetery  which 
they  had  thus  newly  established  in  the  virgin  forest,  and  retired. 
each  to  his  rude  couch  among  the  trees,  to  meditate  rather 
than  to  sleep.  Two  of  the  partisans,  however,  were  drawn 
aside  by  Singleton  for  farther  conference  that  night.  TlieM- 
were  Lieutenant  Porgy  and  the  young  en^iun.  I.ance  Frainpton. 
To  these  he  assjg-ned  a  double  duty.  With  a  small  detach 
ment,  Poriry  was  to  take  charge  of  a  wagon  with  stores,  designed 
for  Colonel  Walton,  whom  he  was  to  seek  out  between  the 
Kdisto  and  the  Savannah.  In  order  to  elTect  his  progress  with 
safety,  lie  was  specially  counselled  to  give  a  wide  berth  to  Dor 
r  — to  make  a  considerable  circuit  above,  descending  only 
when  on  the  Edisto.  Singleton  was  rightly  apprehensive  that 
the  report  of  Meadows'  disaster  would  set  all  the  cavalry  of  Dor 
chester  and  Charleston  in  motion.  The  wagon  was  to  be  secured 
in  tlie  swamps  of  Kdisto  until  Walton  could  be  found  ;  and, 
with  the  duty  of  delivering  it  into  hi-,  keeping  fairly  executed, 
I'orgy.  with  Frainpton.  was  to  seek  out  the  dwelling  of  (Iriflin's 
wife  and  daughter,  who  dwelt  in  tlie  neighborhood  of  the  Kd 
isto,  conveying  a  letter  from  his  colonel,  and  the  little  treasure  of 
which  the  poor  fellow  died  possessed  Singleton  having  added 
the  ri-ht  guineas  \\hich  he  had  promised  to  the  dying  man  ; 
a  gift  by  the  way.  which  he  could  not  have  made  but  f<>r  the 
timely  acquisition  of  the  hundred  and  tifly  found  in  British  money 

chest 

The  duty  thus  assigned  to  I'or^y  and  Framplon  was  one  of 
interest  to  both  parties  ;  though  the  corpulent  lieutenant  si-lied 
at  the  pro>p<-H  of  hard  riding  over  ground  so  recently  compass 
i-d  which  lay  before  him.  At  liM  he  would  have  shirked  the  re- 
spon-ihility  ;  but  a  secret  suirirestion  of  his  own  thought  rapid 
ly  cau^d  a  chan-e  in  liis  opinions.  To  Lance  Frampton, 
vho  -to(d  in  a  very  tender  relation  to  Kllen  (irillin.  the  daugh 
ter  of  the  decea-ed,  the  tad<  \\  as  one  eijually  painful  and  grate 
ful.  To  Porgy,  the  intere-t  which  he  felt  was  due  to  consider 
ations  the  development  of  which  must  be  left  to  future  chapters. 


LOI  U.l>'l    BEAUTIES    IN    CHAH  189 


(MTAPTEi;     \  \. 
:<*\  4JJ8I   I'.I:A  DTI  B8   IN    <  n  IBLEfi  I 

LBTOfl    was    complied    to    f<»rc.Lr"    tin-     small     but     valuabl 
es    which    he    had    been     pur-miiL:,    by     a    summon.-    fr<>m 
Marion.     Tin-   latter    had,  by   this   time.  provoked  the   peculi 
tilitv    of    the    r>riti-h    p-neral.       ( '«>ni\\  ;iili>    ^-\\\    TarleNm    in    pur 
suit    of    him  with    a  formidable  force;    and  the  "  swamp  f«-\ 
temporarily    redueed    to    the    necessity    cither    of    skulking   • 
throu-h    his   suaiiip-..    or    taUin.ir    ivl'iip-    in    North    Carolina.       We 
sliall    not    follow    his    fortunes,    and    shall    content    our-e!\«s    \\ith 
referrii'i:    to    them  simply,  in  order   to  ace. ,\mt    for    Si: 
seiicc    from  that   field,  alon-   the   Santee  and   the   A-hley.   in  which 
we  have  hitherto  s«-en    him    eiiLra-ed.   and   w'n 
looke.l   for    and    c«.ntidenlly    <  \p.  <  ted    by    more    than    . 

He    had    made    certain    enLraLrements    with     Williai 
sul)j<-ct    ahva\s  to    the    viri  — itudes  ,,r    ti.  -\\hii-h    re.piir- 

cd     liim     to     uive    that     ireiitleinan     another    meeting    a-    H 

Me. 

In    the    hope    of     thi-     meeting,    we    tind     Williain-'U     very    fre 
quently     at      the     Quarter     H-UM,    ,,r    at    lh,      tavern     iinm. 

it.    known    a-  the    1 

all. in-    on    this    pilunma'_re.    at    olln  t-    lie 
panions  \\li.nn  he  could  not  avoid,  from    amon-  tin-  ofl 
British     irarri-on        M.-;     «  onimoidy.    these     \:  . n-ibly 

for    pi-  «M«1    other  formed    in     the 

city,    which     brought   out    U>  ti 

cade,    male     and     female,    \\li-.  in     rural 

dinners,    an.l     -ave    a     KOOM    to  .their    merrim.  nt     in    the    \\il.lest 
rustic    dances.      The    ilam-el-.   : 


1!M)  KATHAKINi:    WALTON. 

ily  joined  in  these  frolics.  It  wa-  a  point  of  honor  with  the  "rebel 
l.-ulics"  to  avoid  them  ;  ;i  revolution  which  the  IJritish  ollicers  vainly 
endeavored  to  coinhat.  Balfour  himself  f  reorient  ly  strove  to  enirairi: 
Katharine  Walton  a-  one  of  a  party  especially  devised  in  her  honor, 

hut  without  success, 

II  is  time,  hy  the  way,  that  we  should  recall  that  youni:  maiden  to 
the  reader's  recollection.  Slie  was  received  into  the  family  of  the 
venerable  Mrs.  IMck  Singleton,  the  aunt  of  her  lover.  This  old  lady 
wasa  woman  of  Roman  character,  worthy  to  bea  mother  of  the  <  Iracchi. 
She  was  sprung  of  the  best  Virginia  stock,  and  had  lost  her  husband 
in  the  Indian  wars  which  ravaged  the  frontier  during  the  la- 

le  of  the  IJritish  with  the  French  colonies.  She  was  linnly  de 
voted  to  the  Revolutionary  movement  — a  calm,  frank,  tirm  woman, 
who,  without  severity  of  tone  or  a-pect,  was  never  -ecu  to  smile. 
She  had  survived  sonic  agonies,  the  endurance  of  which  suHiciently 
served  to  cxtiniruish  all  tendencies  to  mirth.  Her  dwelling  in 
Church  street,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Tradd,  was  a  favorite 
point  of  reunion  amoni:  the  patriots  of  both  86X68.  Hither, 
in  the  dark  days  which  found  their  hushands,  their  brothers, 
their  sons  in  exile,  in  the  camp,  or  in  the  prison  ship,  came  the 
Uutledires,  the  Lauren-',  the  I/.ards.  and  most  of  the  well-known 
and  famous  families  of  the  Low  Country  of  Carolina,  to  con 
sult  as  to  the  future,  to  review  their  condition,  consider  their 
resources,  and  if  no  more,  "to  weep  their  sad  bosoms  empty." 
Katharine  Walton  was  not  an  unworthy  a--ociate  of  these. 
She  was  already  known  to  the  most  of  them  personally,  and 
l.\  anecdotefl  which  commended  her  love  of  country  to  their 
own  ;  and  they  crowded  about  her  with  a  becoming  \\elcoine  when 

sbe  came. 

'1  hese  were  not  her  only  visitor-;.  She  was  an  heiiws  ;md  a 
beauty,  and  conse(|ueiitly  a  /»//<.  IJalfour  himself,  though  past 
llie  pcriml  of  life  when  a  si.irhin.ir  lover  is  reco-ni>ablc,  \\  as 

t   hi^  ye,:  iiion  in  the  assumption  of  this 

character.      lie    WO8    f..ll..wi-d.   al    a    ivvp.'ct  ful   distance,   by    others, 
whom     it     heller    suited.       There    were    the    Campbells,     tin 
known    as   "mad."   the  other    as    "fool."    Of    "  <  ra/\    '    Campbell; 
tin-re    WUi    Lachlin    o'Ferii'us.  a    captain    of    the    «ru.-mK    a    tierce, 
reil  headed     Scotchman  ;     there     W9M     Ihc     gallant     Major 


mi.    L01  A  i  1ST  I'.I.AI  i  [is  is  .  n  \ ;  |'.»1 

.  le  bd  esprit  of   tin-    I'.ritMi  t  wil    and    rh\i 

and     his    inseparable,     or    shadow,    ('apt.     M'Mah< 
who.     with    tin  amount     .  cm     in     the    \\orld, 

iniirht    i  n    willin;:-  to  yield  up  his  ou  n  individuality 

he    have    i;o|    in    place    of    il    thai    of    his   friend.      An.! 
almost    a-   appre.  iaii\ ,•    Rfl    M  Mali-m.      They    were    tin-    moral    Si- 
of    (lie    "-in-Noii.    who    perpetually    quoted    .  :.    and 

boued,   as   if   throu-h    Bell  invariably    when    they   did    K>. 

There    were    others,    who.    like    Hie*,.,    with   them    and   aft.  i 
ho\\ed    and    >i-hed    at    the    in-w    altars  of   Ix-aiilv   which,    perforce. 
!    up    when    Katharine    Walton   reached   the   city  ;    and  the 
•f    Mrs.    SiiiL.rl(  ton,    from    having   hitherto  ln-i-n  onlv   : 
»f   the   unhappy,    who    mourned   over   the  di-ir 
country,    was   now    er., \\drd    on   all    potdbk  '-y    the    tri 

umphant,    whox,-    iron    ]\<  ,  pres-cil     upon    its    1 

could    tiie    \<  in  i-il-le    widow  object    to   thi-   intni>i«'ii.  « 
it    by    a    forbidding    v  9he    had    b«  >inee 

t..    know    that    the    "  rebel    ladi<  B  "    v, 

who    would    rejoice   i:i   any    ;  \\iiich  they 

would    seem    justilied    in    driving    forth    a   <!  principles 

••flVii-i\r.    and     whosi-     poMeattODI  eontis- 

cation.       Si:  \\iih    a 

'.ieh    were    unavoidal'le,    and  led     fi.r    h«-r 

DC8S    ns     she     dJ  iiarine     Walr-.n     was     a.s    little 

d    to    endure    her  d     the 

mi-  value. 

It    was   seldom    that    the     "  loyal M     1  ,  . 
/n    the    cirel. •••    of     Mrs    Sin-lelon.     They    w.  re    he'd    to    );..• 

J    tin-    pinion    which    they    had    i 
•OOlfl    :  themaelTefl    that    ilu-    forfeiture    w:;s  a  jus' 

seldom    that    t!,e\ 

ther.     it     wa-    ^.-Idoin    Ilia:  They    lield 

.1    rival    set.     and     «:  le     Hi.  m-i  i\»--     for    tlieir 

exclusion    from    circles    which    \\<iv    ei.chanteil     b\  riptivi* 

Hority.    by    ih. 

thities.    They   formed   ti.  B  great 

parties    irivi-n    by    Ceiieial     Leslie,    by     t!         • 
Balfour,  and    by    other   leading  ollurrs   of   tin 


I!''.'  KATllAKlNi:    \\  ALTON*. 

desirous  of   conciliating    favor,  or   relieving  tlic  tedium   of  garrison 
life. 

A- a  ward  of  Colonel  Cruden,  and  measurably  in  the  power 
of  Colonel  IJalfour.  it  was  nol  po^jhlr  for  Katharine  Walton 
wholly  to  escape  the  knowledge  of.  and  even  some  decree  of 
intimacy  with,  some  of  the  ladies  of  the'  Uritish  party.  A  few 
of  them  found  their  way,  accordingly,  to  Mrs.  Singleton's. 
Some  of  l!i<-e  were  persons  whose  polilical  sympalhies  were 
not  active,  and  were  due  wholly  to  the  direction  taken  by  their 
parents.  Others  were  of  the  British  party  because  it  was  the 
most  brilliant  ;  and  other.-.  ai:ain.  because  of  warmer  individual 
feelings,  who  had  found  objects  of  love  and  worship  where  pa 
triotism—the  more  stately  virtue  —  could  discover  nothing  but 
hostility  and  evil. 

Of  these  persons  we  may  name  a  few  of  whom  the  local  tra 
dition  still  entertains  the  most  lively  recollections.  Conspicuous 
amon.ir  these  dam-. -Is.  known  B8"  loyalist"  belles  of  Charleston, 
during  its  occupation  by  the  British  army,  were  "  the  1  Icrveys  ;  " 
three  sisters,  all  of  a  rich,  exuberant,  voluptuous  beauty,  and 
one  of  them,  at  least,  the  most  beautiful  of  the  three,  of  a  wild 
and  passionate  temper.  "Moll  Harvey,"  as  she  was  familiarly 
known,  was  a  splendid  woman,  of  dark.  Cleopatra  like  eyex  and 
carriage,  and  of  tresses  IOHLT,  mas-ive.  and  ^lossily  black  as  the 
raven's  whin  his  \vinur  is  spread  for  Iliirhl  in  the-  evening  sun 
light.  A  more  exquisite  figure  never  tloated  ihroiiuh  the  ma/es 
of  the  dance,  making  the  eye  drunk  with  delirium  to  pursue  her 
motion!  She  Wttfl  of  -ubile  intellect  al-o,  keen  and  quick  at 
repartee,  with  a  free,  spontaneous  fancy,  and  a  spirit  as  bold  and 
reckless  a<  e\er  led  wilful  fancy  wandering.  She  had  been,  for 
a  loni:  time,  tin-  favorite  of  llalfour.  He  had  sillied  to  her. 
and  followed  her  with  addiv— e  that  only  seemed  to  forbear  the 
la-t  avowal,  Hut  this,  tliouirh  still  forborne,  was  still  anticipated 
hourly  by  all  parties,  the  lady  herself  amoiiir  them.  That  Hal 
four  -till  refrained  was  a  matter  of  common  surprise,  and  to  be 
accounted  for  in  two  ways  only.  Though  of  the  best  family 
connection-,  she  had  no  fortune.  Thi-  mi-ht  be  a  suilicient  rea 
son  why  he  should  forbear  to  unite  himselt  irrevocably  with  her. 
or  with  any  woman  ;  for  the  commandant  of  Charleston  was 


TII  i:  u>^  AI.I.-T  in.  LUTIBS   IN   MIA  B 


notorious    for    hi-    ct|ual    greedilMM  and    hi- 

expenditure.      There     mtf     \«-t    another    retBOB.      Moll    Har\< 

If    soine\\  hat     too    con-picuoij-    l.\-    her    lliriation-    \\ith 

than    Prince    William,    then   in    tin-   navv  ;    U-ttcr 

kiio\\n    to    us    in    remit  |    William    IV..    ki; 

Britain.*     She   miirht   ha\e   lieen  only   vain  and    frivolous,   but  the 

mouths  of  public  ceiiMire  \\  hi-pt  red  <>f  error-  of  Mill  Braver  char 

Hie  certainly  irave  much  <.eea>i<>n  to  -u-picion.  That 
the  prince  \\as  madly  fond  of  her  i-  be\  oiid  question.  It  \\a> 
even  -aid  that  he  had  proposed  to  her  a  >ec,et  marria-e,  Imt 
that  the  proud,  vain  spirit  of  the  -rirl  would  li>ten  to  n.»thing 
short  of  the  public  ceremonial.  Such  was  the  on  ,/i'f  aimm^ 
ino>t  friendly  and  most  inclined  to  defend  her  c«mdu«-t. 
This  may  ha\e  been  wild  and  darin.ir  rather  than  In.  | 

but    a    woman    is   always    in    danger    v.  In.    priili  - 

gotag  beyond  her  MX.     l-inou-h,  that  public  «-i.nje.  tmv 

account    for    Halfnur'.s    reluctance    to   pr.-pi.M-   for    her    hand,    while 
evidently    pa>-ionately    fond    of    her    per-on.    \\a-    divide.l    !• 
hi-    known    avarice,    and    his  doubts  of  the   propriety   of   1,. 
duct  in  the  flirtation  with  his   prince.     Such   were  hi-  n-lali«-i 
Moll  Harvey  at  the  period  u  lien  he  tir-t  -aw    Katharine   Walton,   and 

:  ick  \\iththct\vi.fnld  attractions  of  her   beauty   and    i. 
tune. 

Then-   were   three  other  youiii:   ladies,    bel. 
party,  \\ith  \\lmm  Katharine  Walton  shortly   found    herself  I  • 
nally    into   contact.     One   of   tin-      '.  us    ^I  .   -    M.irv    II 
who  divided  the  •    the   hearts  ..f  the  --|u:illy 

with    her   competitors.     >|,e  \\as  the  daughter  «.f   •  |    upell. 

a  Jin,  i  and  ((.nvi>tent    ro\ali.-t.a   man  of   \\orth  ami  character.  \vin>. 
:he  Ke\olution.  had  been   one  of   the  kiin;'>  council   t(ol,.iiyi, 
and     held     the     lucrative     offlo  ;.  r.      Man      R 

wa>  a  proud  beaut\  .  a-  tULOghtj  M  ibe  WM  lOfelj,  and 
particularly  succe»ful  in  the  ball  room.  It  wa-  Dem  her  fortune. 
on  such  OCCttfont,  to  remain  unnoticed,  a  me  ilower 

ai:ain-t  the  wall. 

1'aulina  IMielps  was  another  •'  9       was  a 

lady  of  hand.-ome  fortune,  and  of  one  of  the  nuM  re>; 
•  rrmdlti 


r.»l  K  A  THAI;  INK  WALTON. 

With    many    admirers,     sin-  was   particularly   distinguished   liy   the 
conquest  of  one  »>f   i!i  -  hinij  gallants  of  the  garrison.     This 

Major  Campbell  -  Major  Archibald  C'ainphcll,  or.  Rfl  he 
was  better  known,  "  Mad  Archy."  or  "  Mad  Campbell  "  —  a  fellow 
of  equal  darinir  and  eccentricity  ;  his  dashing  and  frequent  advcii- 
tun  s  of  a  startling  nature  securiiiL:  for  him  his  very  appropriate  nick 
name.  We  shall  have  occasion  to  record  some  of  the-e  adventures 
in  the  course  of  our  narrative,  by  which  we  shall  justify  its  pro 
priety. 

There  was  still  another  damsel,  ranked  amoiiLC  the  loyalist 
ladies  :if  Charleston,  whom  we  should  not  properly  style  a  /W/r, 
since  she  \\as  not  a<  -know  ledm'd  to  possess  this  distinction.  Yet 
her  beauty  and  irrace  were  w«  rthy  of  it.  Klla  Monckton  was  a 
blonde  and  a  beauty  ;  but  the  ea^er  impulse  of  her  natifre, 
which  mi-lit  have  carried  her  forward  to  conquests  —  at  least 
secured  her  some  of  the  social  triumphs  in  which  her  compan 
ions  delighted  had  been  checked  by  the  circumstances  of  her 
condition.  Her  family  was  reduced  ;  her  mother  lived  upon  a 
pittance,  after  having  been  accustomed  to  prosperity,  and  her 
brother,  a  youth  a  year  younirer  than  his  sifter,  obtained  his 
support  in  the  employment  of  Hal  four,  as  his  sc.-rectary.  Ella 
ist  twenty  years  «l\,  with  features  which  looked  greatly 
younger,  an  almost  infantine  face,  but  in  which,  in  the  deep 
lustrous  depths  of  her  dark  blue  and  deuy  eyes,  miiiht  be  read 
the  presence  of  the  ripest  and  loveliot  thoughts  of  womanhood 
and  intellect.  She  v\:e>  quiet  and  retiring  —  sensitively  so  —  shy 
I  she  united  to  this  M-eniin-ly  enfeebling  charac- 
terNtie  a  cloJC,  e:irp(-t  faculty  of  observation,  a  ju<t,  discrimi 
natintr  jud.LMnenl,  hi-jh  resolves,  deliberate  iln.u-ht,  and  a  warm, 
deeply -fcrlinir,  and  lovinir  nature.  She  was  one  of  those,  one 
(.f  tin-  vi-ry  few  amonir  tin-  rival  faction,  who  commVnded  tin  in 
selvs.  in  any  degree,  to  tin-  sympathies  of  Katharine  Walton. 
Yet.  properly  speaking.  Klla  Monekton  had  no  active  sympa 
thies  with  the  Hrilish  party.  Her  father  had  l>c«-n  a  supporter 
and  Servant  <•(  tin-  crown,  and  she  rather  adapted  his  tendencies 
tiictilv  than  l»y  any  e.\erei-c  of  will.  That  her  brother  should 
find  his  employment  with  Halfour.  should  be  another  reason  for 
her  loyalty.  There  \\civ  yet  other  reasons  still,  which  we  must 


Tin:  LOYALIST  B  !  \  «  HAH 

•  future  01  Shy  ami  KDfllUvi 

spirit  of  K!l;i  Monckton,  she  was  singularly  decisive  in  the  adoption 
of  IHT  mood-.  '1  rarely  chan^eaMe  or  capricious. 

:t  i't'  her  sympathies  :m<l  aiTertion-.  in-  of  thnsr 

\\lio  carry  an  canu-M  and  : 

iii  tlii- 

l»usinc>s  in..-!  irratcful  ami  :I  to  tho  \\oinan  —  IK  r 

alTVrticms  iuvolv.  .1  ln-ynml  recall  :;«•  in  all  luatti-rs 

when-  tlic-i-  .fund.  a>  if  !!'"'•. •!••'!  death  \\rrt-  on  tin- 

Ami,  with  Mich  a  hi-art  U  ben,  tin-  Iwue  •  ..iiid  ls«-  iii  the  end  no  oilier 
than  life  and  death.  liut  these  hints  will  sullkv  for  the  present  furn- 
i-hii.i'  (lew-  to  other  chapters. 


106  K  AT  II  A  KINK  WALTON". 


C  II  A  I'TKR    XXI. 

BROTHER    AND  SISTER. 

IT  was  late  at  night.  The  close  of  the  day  in  Charleston 
had  been  distinguished  by  the  return  of  Halfour  from  Don-lies 
ter.  "Waiting  on  his  moods,  rather  than  rendering  him  any 
required  service-,  hi-  secretary,  Alfred  Monckton,  lingered  until 
abruptly  dismis-ed.  lie  hurried  away,  a*  soon  as  his 
wa-  obtained.  1"  the  ancient  family  abi.dc.  one  of  the 
to  the  west,  at  the  foot  of  Hroad  street.  The  dwelling,  though 
worn,  wanting  paint,  and  greatly  out  of  repair,  attested,  in  some 
derive,  the  former  importance  of  his  family.  Ii  \\a-  a  givat 
wooden  fabric,  such  as  belonged  particularly  to  the  reginii  and 
])eriod,  capable  of  accoinmodat ini:  half  a  do/en  Mich  families  as 
that  bv  which  it  was  now  occupied.  The  Widow  Monckton, 
with  her  two  children,  felt  all  her  loneliness.  She  had  wailed 
for  Alfred  till  a  late  hour,  until  exhaustion  compelled  her  to  re 
tire;  foregoing  one  of  her  m-M  -rateful  exercises,  that  of  wel 
coming  her  son  to  her  arms  and  hesii. \\ing  upon  him  her  nightly 
blessing.  !!••  was  In  r  hope,  a-  he  \\  a-  her  chief  support.  She 
well  knew  how  irksome  were  hi-  labors,  under  the  eye  of  Mich 
a  man  as  Halfoiir.  And  still  she  knew  not  half.  Hut  her 
knowli  -ullicient  to  render  her  gratitude  to  her  boy  as 

active  |  her  loVC ;  and  once  more  repealing  tin-  \\i-li.  for  the 
third  time,  "How  1  \\i-h  thai  Alfred  would  nuiir! "  she  let!  her 
good-nielli  and  ble»ing  for  him  wilh  Klla,  his  si^er,  who  de 
clared  her  purpose  to  Ml  up  for  him. 

This,  indeed,  wa<  her  constant  habit.  It  was  in  compliance 
equally  with  her  inclination  and  duty.  A  lender  and  emil'iding 
sympathy  s\\ay«d  both  their  heart:-,  and  the  youth  loved  the 


BKOTH1  i:    LKD   BI8TEB  1!»7 

r    none    tin-   ten    because  love  between   tlu-rn   was  a  dutv. 

hi-   elder    l.y    a    dngk    jretTj    :in.i   shy    and   shrinking  as 

h.-r    temperament,    it     f  dculatcd    lor  the    control    of 

hi-,       i  quick  and   passionate   in   his   moods.  ;ui,l   it   w»ts 

only   with   tin-    nn»t    determined   reference  l<»   the  condition  of    his 

i   mother,   lirr   dependence    upon   his    patient   industry    and    his 

Qtekm,    that    he    was   al.lt-    t..    endure   a    situation    which,    but 

tOO   frequently,    was    nia<le    to    wound    his  pride    and    outnice    his 

I'.alt'our   was  an  adept    in    niakinir  all   about    him 
their  obligations  and  dependence. 

Alfred    Monckt,,M    wa-  of  sli-ht    frame    and  delicate  ap|>earanee. 

In    this    re-pe<  t    In-    resrinlileil     his    lister;     but    otherwise,     th.-re 

ph   .sjcally    but    little   similarity     between    them.        While    >ln- 

.    of    a    coinpl.-xinn    a-    delicate    as    that    of    the  roae- 

the   crimson    bl 1    betray  in-:    itself    throuuh     her   cheeks  at 

.    pulsation,   he   -\as    dark   and    swarthy,    with    keen,    quivering 
l»lack   eyi  s,    and   hair    of    the    blackest    hue    and    the   richest   ^loss. 
A    slight     mustache,     little    deeper   than     a    pencil     line,    dark 
upon    his   Up;    but  nowhere  was  his  cheek  or  chin   rend, Ted   man 
ly    by   a    beaid.       This    description     must    suflice.       So    much.    ; 
h-ip  in    connection     with    the    character    which 

prop  i\v. 

II  rfved  him  with  a  ki->  and  an  embr.; 

"  You  have  been  drinking  wine.  Alfred  ':" 

la.     And    I   sometimes  think  that  the  liquor  will  choke 
1  drink  at  the  board  of    Balfoiir." 
"  And  why,  p: 

"He    Md|    me    drink.    Klla  ;     he    docs  not   ask.      He 
and    you    can    scarcely    understand    how   such    a    command     should 
(flemfve,    when  you    know    that    I    rrlMi    old    Mad. -ria    as    well 

0  it    is.      It    is    as  if    he    \\nulfl  comjK-n^ite 

ill  tliis  manner,  for  the  scorn,  the  contempt,  the  frequently   haughty 
and   almost     brutal     in-^lciiee    of     his    tone    and    manner.       II 
hate  him  '." 

'    I'-  ar  \\  itli  him.  my  In-other,  for  our  mother's  sake." 
'    Do]  not  bear.  Klla  V     Ah  '    you  know  n..t  half." 
"  Nor  \\ould    I    know.  Alfred,    unless   I   could   reli  Rut 

—  he  has,  then,  retui; 


198  KATII. \KINI:    WALTON, 

"Yes;  late  this  evening.  He  comes  back  in  great  good 
humor.  He  talks  nothing  now  but  of  the  famous  beauty,  Kath 
arine  Walton.  She  is  his  new  passion;  and  Mull  Haney  is  in 
great  danger  of  lo^inir  her  ascendency.  Miss  Walton  is  wealthy 
as  well  as  handsome.  I  have  not  seen  her  ;  but  she  is  already 
in  the  city." 

"In  the  city,  Alfred?"  was  the  inquiry,  in  tones  singularly 
subdued  and  slow,  as  if  they  required  some  cfl'ort  on  the  part  of  the 
speaker  to  bring  them  forth. 

"Yes.  It  appears  that  she  arrived  yesterday  or  the  day 
before.  But  I  heard  nothing  of  it  until  he  came.  He  has 
already  been  to  see  her.  She  lodges  with  her  kinswoman,  Mrs. 
Dick  Singleton,  where  you  may  have  an  opportunity  of  meeting 
her." 

"I  do  not  care  to  meet  her.  Alfred,"  was  the  hastily-uttered 
answer;  and  the  sounds  were  80  sad,  that  the  youth  placing  a 
hand  on  each  of  her  cheeks,  and  looking  steadily  into  her  large 
blue  eyes,  inquired  curiously  and  tenderly  - 

"  And  why,  Ellen  my  sister  why  have  you  no  curiosity  to  see  the 
beauty  whom  the  whole  city  will  run  to  » 

"  That  alone  should  be  a  sutlieient  reason." 

"Ah!  but  there  is  yet  another,  my  sister.  Your  voice  i.s  very 
sad  to-night.  Ella,  my  dear  Ella,  beware  of  your  little  heart. 
I  am  not  a  sutlieient  counsellor  for  it,  I  know  ;  but  I  can  see 
when  it  siitTers  and  1  can  give  you  warning  to  beware.  You  do 
not  tell  me  enough,  Ella.  You  do  not  contide  sullicicntly  to 
your  brother  yet  I  see!-  I  see  Mid  fear!" 

••  What  do  you  fear,  Alfred  f" 

"  I  fear  that  you  are  destined  to  suffer  even  more  than  you 
have  done.  I  have  other  news  to  tell  you,  which,  if  I  mistake 
not  your  feelings,  will  make  \i.u  still  more  unhappy." 

"  Do  not  —do  not  keep  me  in  BUSpenM,  Alfred." 

"I  will  not.  You  will  know  it  sooner  or  later,  and  it  is  best 
.  to  hear  ill  news  at  first,  from  friendly  lips.  Major 
Proctor  is  disL'Taeed,  and  that  subtle,  snake-like  fellow,  Vaughau, 
'snow  in  command  of  the  post  at  Dorcln 

The  maiden   clasped    her  hands  ing.-thrr  in    -peechlos  sulTering. 

"Ah,    Ella!     1    \\as    afraid    of    thi-.      1     have  seen,     for  a    long 


r.l:n-|  IM.I;    \  \  -|, 
time.    how    mud,  you    thou-ht   «,f    M:ij..r    IWt-  .   t,,],l   me 


"And  what  wafl  I  to  tell  \,,u.    That  I  loved  bopefeatly;  that  my 

heart  irat  yielded  tO  O&e  WhO  bad  DO    heart    tn^ivr;   that   I    had    be,  ii 
piilty  of  tin-  unmaidenly  weakness  of  lovin-  where  I  c«.ul«i    ha. 
hope  of  return;  tliat,  with  the  foiidne-s  of  tin-  woman,  I    larked   her 
delirary.  and  MitTeied    ih«-  world    to  see   that    pas-ion  whirl,    I  should 
never  have  suffered    myself  to   feel   until   my   o\\  n   heart    had    IM-.-II 
solirited!      Oh!      Alfred,     Was    this    the    eonlev.jun     that     ,,,y     l.rother 
would  have  had  me  make?     You    have   it    now!     I  have  shown 
all'     Would   it    have   availed    me  anythini:  that  I    had  told    you   this 

before?" 

This  ua-  ptMfongtdj  >pokei..  and  the  irirl  covered  her  eyes  with 
her  han.  N  a^  >he  ma.  le  the  ,-.  aifesvi,,,,  :  \\-\i\\,.  ;m  audible  sob.  at  the 
roneluvii.il.  denoted  the  convulsive  force  of  that  emotion  which  -|,,- 

"Al1-    »">'    POOF,  It    is    what    1    feared.      I    h:i\en..t 

studied  your  heart  in  vain.      And,  \\hat  i-  v.  •!  n,, 

••Lilian.    E  can  aot  eren  give  you  oounael.     1'n.etor.  it  Is  said,  ft 

ted  t..  Mks  Walton.      It  is  throiiLrh   hi-  pa-i-n   l.,r  her  that  lie  U 

aid    to    have    helped    her    lather    ill    hi-    • 

•'    rcberter,    and    is    to    I,,-    court-martialed     for    the    offen.  .-.     The 
(  ll:"  -'TV  serious  ..DC.      It    amount-  to  s(,methiiiLr  more  than 

neglect  of  duty.     Ufa  a  charge  of  treason,  and  may  peril  hi<  life; 

it    j.erils   his   reputation   as  a   man   of    honor  and  an 

officer." 

"And  this  i\  ,///   u,(.   doin.!;  of  that  renOfl  Jure.  Vai. 

It,    Alfred.      This   b,,ld.  bad    man,   has   b 

long    while,    spiiininir    hi-    artful    \\eb    about     the  ami 

uiivu-peetiii.i:    natui-  CtOT.      Can    iiothin.ir    1-e    dour    to  save 

him1/  " 

"  I  «lo  not  do  anything." 

"l)(l    '"•'    tp  \.fred.     Something    H.unt   be  .l.-nc. 

^  on   kn..w  not    how  miii  h    may  be  d.-ne   by  a  resolute  and  de\ 
spirit,  however  feeble,  \vhere  it  boi  -  re  it  l.-vi  "iise 

may  relieve  the  lion.  Alfi- 

"  You  -peak  from  \,,Ur  heart.  Klla.  Mot  from  yo«I  thoiii:ht.ft 

"And   the   heart    has   :i   facul'  . 


200  KATIIAKINi:     \\  'ALTON'. 

any  thought  Y<nt  may  do  something,  my  brother.  You  trill  do 
something.  If  we  art-  only  in  possession  of  tin-  roundels  of  ihe 
enemy,  we  may  contrive  to  bailie  them.  You  will  see  —  you  will 
hear.  You  will  know  when-  Balfour  and  Yaughan  plan!  their 
snares;  and  we  shall  lie  able  to  give  warning,  in  due  season,  to  the 
noble  gentleman  whom  they  would  destroy." 

"Ella,  my  sister,"  replied  the  other  gravely,  "you  f<.rg-t  thai  I 
am,  in  a  measure,  the  confidant  of  Balfour.  It  will  not  do  for  me  to 
betray  his  secrets.  I  have  hitherto  withheld  nothing  from  you.  I 
have  spoken  to  you  as  my  other  s-Jf;  but.  remember,  these  are  not 
my  secrets  which  I  confide  to  you.  They  must  be  sacred.  It  is  im 
possible  that  I  should  communicate  to  you  the  counsels  of  my  em 
ployer,  with  the  apprehension  that  you  will  use  your  knowledge  to 
defeat  them." 

The  warm,  conscious  blood  rushed  into  the  face  of  the  maiden. 
She  IK  sitated;  she  felt  a  keen  sting  of  self-reproach  as  she  listened; 
but.  the  next  moment,  she  replied  with  an  argument  that  has  fre 
quently  found  its  justification  in  morality. 

"  But  we  are  not  to  keep  the  counsels  of  the  \\  irked.  We  are  Hot 
to  keep  faith  with  those  who  aim  to  do  evil.  It  is  hut  right  and  just 
that  we  should  seek  to  warn  the  innocent  against  the  snare  spread  for 
them  by  the  guilty." 

Alfred  Moncton  was  not  equal  to  the  moral  argument,  lie  waived 
it  accordingly. 

"But  you  forget,  my  sister,  that  the  innocence  of  .Major  I'roctor 
rests  only  on  our  assumption.  Kverybody  believes  him  guilty. 
Of  the  facts  we  kDOW  nothing,  except  that  they  show  against  him. 

He  has  suffered  a  rebel  to  e-eape  from  justice  eveh  at  the  place  of 

execution.  He  is  reputed  to  be  a  devoted  lover  of  this  rebel's 
daughter,  lie  was  a  frequent  visitor  at  her  residence,  to  the  neglect 
of  his  duiii->  in  the  i_rarri»oii.  The  consequences  are  serious.  All 
the  loyalists  families  cry  out  against  him;  and  the  general  im 
n  of  his  guilt  seems  to  lie  liorne  out  by  the  facts  and 
appearances." 

"I   Will  not  believe  it.    Alfred." 

"  There,  again,  your  heart  speaks.   Klla1     Ah,  my  poi.r 
would  that  you  had  never  seen  thN  man'" 

She  exclaimed  ha-lily,  and  in  lui-ky  accents  — 


BK<  .  \j,    SDH  801 

rhaps    I    too    wish    that    I    hud    H  him.      Uut    it    is 

too   late    for   that,    Alfred.      I    c...,not    control     my    heart  ;    and    to 
y«>u     I    am    n. .t    ashamed    to    confess    tliat     1     lo\e    him    fondly 
entirely.      You   must    lirlp    me    t..    serve    him.  Alfn-d  —  help    me  to 

mil." 
'•  And  yet  if  he  loves  ar.i.thi-r  !" 

.    Alfred,    and    still    we    must    save    him     i: 

can.      It  is  not  love  that  forever  denial.  Me,      It    is    l,,ve 

only    when    prepared    for   every    sacrifice.      I     must    seek 
in     this    instance,    though     the     service    may    seem     wholly    t. 
without  profit  to  myself  ;  and  you  must    as>M    me.  though,  perhaps. 
at  some   peril    to  yourself.     But     there    will    lie    no  peril    to   you 
really,   as     I     shall     manage    tin-     all'air  ;  and     where     tin-    he.v 
Satisfied    in    thescrviee.it    mu-t  needs  l,e  profitable.      The  love 
""I     be    the     less     warm     and     devoted,     because    felt    for    a    beinur 
who  is  wholly  ignorant  of  it-  existence.     Let  Proctor  be   happy  with 
this  rebel  lady    if    he    may.      It    is   enough    that    he    knows    me  not 
—  that     he     kWM     me     D0t  I      Why     should    he    not    love    another  v 
Why  not  be  happy  uith  her  1     The  world  ipeakl  well  of  his  ,l, 
May  they  be   happy  !  " 

"  It  is  n,.t  v,  certain  that  he    loVCfl    hopefully.    Klla.      On   the  con 
trary,  much  is  said  against  it." 

"  Ah.  believe  it   Hot  !      Shi-  i^  sen-ible.  they  say  ;    she    \\ill    scarcely 
likened  to  Proctor  with  imlitTen-n. 

u  will  call  upon  lier.  HI] .. 
"  No  ;  that  i^  impossi],;. 

"How    will    you    avoid    it  '.-     She    is    the    ward    now  of   Colonel 
Cruden  ;  and    both    P.alfoiir  and    himself   will   exjx-ct  all  t], 
ladies    to   do    honor   to   one    \\hom    they    have  *,,  mueh  di-in- to  \\  in 

' 
mother's  intimacy  \\itli   her—" 

-.actly  \\liat  it  has  I-  .    hut  there  \*  ft 

of  bitterness  now  in  the  eternal  ilix-u.-xjoii  of  tlicir  poli' 
they  havi-  tacitly  fon--on,    their  intimacies.      An  occasional  <  all  is  all 
that    either   makev      Still,   mother   will   have   to   L'o  :  but   there  is  no 
obligation  upon  me  to  do 

"  And  ha\  e  you  really  no  cm  i 

"No— \es|      1 1,(     \lt  .j,|   8eCf   search,    and 


202  KATHAIMNi:    WALTON". 

study  e\ery  cliann.  and  seek  to  »li<eovrr  in  what  the  peculiar 
fascination  lies  which  ha*  won  that  cold,  proud  lieart.  lint  I  fear 
—  I  tremble,  Alfred,  lot  I  should  learn  to  hate  the  object  that  he 

••  Mv  poor  Klla  !  \vhat  sliall  I  do  for  you  V" 

"  Do  for  //////,  Alfred.  You  can  do  nothing  for  me.  I  must  do 
for  myself.  If  1  have  been  weak,  1  will  show  that  I  can  he  strong. 
I  will  not  succumb  to  my  feebleiie-s.  1  will  overcome  it.  You  will 
do  much  for  me.  if  you  will  assist  me  in  -avin-  Major  Proctor  from 
his  enemies." 

"  And  win  rel'ore  should  I  peril  myself  for  one  who  has  done  you 
such  a  wron::  '.'  " 

"  There  will  be  no  peril  to  you,  dear  Alfred ;  and  for  the  wron^ 
lie  has  done  me  none.  It  is  I  only  who  have  wronged  my 
self." 

"Ay,  but  there  is  peril  -  nay,  little  less  than  my  >;u  ritice,  Klla, 
which  may  follow  from  m\  helping  you  in  behalf  of  Proctor.  And 
;  nut  why  /  sh.udd  risk  anything  in  behalf  of  a  man  who  will 

neither  know  nor  care  aiiythini:  about  the  sacrifice  \\  <•  make.  I  [••  has 
no  claim  upon  ////•,  Klla." 

"  Ah,  l)rother,  would  you  fail  me  '. 

"  What  is  this  man  to  you  or  me  V     Nothing  !     And  — 

"  Oh,  Alfred  !       Proctor  nothing  t«»   //"  ,    when    he   compels    these 
when,  to  mention   his   name  only,    makes   my  heart    tremble 
with   a  mixed   feeling  of  fear  and  joy!     <>h.    my   brother,  you  are 
irrratly  chained,  I  fear." 

She  threw  herself  upon  the  youth's  bosom  as  -he  spoke  these 
words  of  melanclioly  rep roach  ;  and  his  eyes  tilled  with  sympathetic 
drops  as  he  heard  her  sobbing  ujxni  his  shoulder.  , 

"Alas!     Klla:"    he    e\<  laimed.      "You    -peak    as    if    1     had    any 
to   serve   or   to    lave.      You    deceive   yourself,    but    must    not. 
B  me.     I  know  my  own  feehleiie-         I  .  :.n  do  nothing  tor  you. 
•;ot  how  we  can  serve   Proctor." 

"Oil,  I    will    show    you    how  !"  she    answered   eagerly.      "Ajust 

ami  i: 1  man  need  have  no  fear  of  open  enmity.      It  is  the  arts   that 

are  practiced  in  secret  that  find  him  accessible  to  harm  You  shall 
show  me  how  the»e  Spiders  WOrk,  Mid  \\here  they  set  their  snares, 
and  ICHVC  the  re-t  to  me." 


ri:    \\i> 

\<      .   tat,  Klhi.  you  are  not    to   betray  any  of   n: 

would    be    iii*liMMorii!_  1    a-    endangering    inc.    I'.lla,    ami    I 

much  doultt   if  i!   would   be  of  any  M  you  seek 

to  MTVe.  I'.'il  I  will  help  you  wiicrc  I  can  with  propriety.  If  I 
can  sh»w  you  in  what  way  you  may  avort  tin-  <laiii:«  r  from  him 
without  — " 

"Oh,  yes!     That  is  all  that  1  Bftk,  dear  Alfred  '     That  i-  all 
Tin-    poor   fellow    little   Misprctcd    to    what    extent    the   fond    and 
crriiiir  heart   of   his   -i-ter   h:u!    already  «.nunitted    both.      He   little 
k'lt  \\  that  IK  r  M  crct  airency      which   iniirht    very  naturally  nnnlurt 
to   hi.-       wa-   already   >oinethini:    more   than   -u-pected    l.y   the    \\ily 
i  an. 


KATHAKIM;  WALTON. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

LOVE    PLAYS   THE   SPY. 

IT  was  probably  a  week  after  this  conversation,  when,  one  night, 
Alfred  MoncktOO  returned  home  to  Ins  mother's  dwelling  at  an  earlv 
hour  of  the  evening,  and  with  a  roll  of  papers  beneath  his  arm.  lie 
was  all  bustle  and  wearin 

"Come  with  me,  Ella,  into  the  library,"  he  exclaimed  to  his 
sister.  "I  have  more  work  for  you  than  ever." 

Seated  in  the  library,  at  the  ample  table  which  was  usually 
avsi-rned  to  his  nightly  toils  as  the  secretary  of  the  commandant  — 
where,  in  fact,  his  labor<  as  an  amanuensis  usually  employed  him, 
and.  occasionally  his  BtetCT,  until  midnight  —  he  proceeded  to 
unfold  an  enormous  budget  of  rouiih  notes  and  letters,  to  be  copied 
and  arranged.  In  these  labors,  KH;l  Honckton  shared  \\ith  a 
generous  impulse  which  sought  to  lessen  the  burden  of  her  brother's 
duties.  She  now  lent  herx-lf  readily  to  his  assistance,  and  pro 
ceeded  lo  ascertain  the  extent  of  the  performance  which  he 

required. 

'•  These  are  all  to  be  copied  and  Liot  iii  readiness  by  the  morning. 
Klla.  and  I  am  BO  wearied." 

"'••'  me  have  them.  Alfred;  show  me  what  1  am  to  do,  while 
you  throw  yourself  upon  the  sofa  and  iv-1  vourself." 

"There,    that's  a    iM.,,d   creature.      Copy   me   that,   and   that,   and 

that.  5Tou  see  all's  numbered ;  letter  them  tim-.  A.  I;,  r,  and  so  on, 
just  as  you  tind  them  on  the  scraps;  only  copy  them  on  these  sheets, 
the  paper  ;  and  the  BOOnei  you  set  to  work  the  better.  I  will 
come  to  your  helj)  as  soon  as  1  have  fairly  rented.  If  1  could  sleep 
ten  minutes  only." 


••  Y..II  shall.     <ii\e  DM  the  papers  and  let  me  go  to  work." 
And  -l-i'-  beiran  t<>  gather  up,  and  to  unfold,  and  arrange  the  sev 
eral  manuxTipK 

"  St;i\  '     Not    these.    Klla.      And,    by    the    way,    you    arc    not    to 
see  these,   though   they   would   interest   you   much.     They   com 

••  Ah  I" 

I;  they  ar>  his  trial.   Thcr-  c.»urt  of  inquiry 

and  these  arc  memoranda  of  the  charges  to  be  made  against  him.  with 

of  the  evidence  upon  which  they  i 
'•  And  why  urn  I  not  to  Alfred  ?  " 

"  Became   I    am   positively  forbidden   to  suffer  them  to  he  seen, 
Klla.      Halfour  seems  a  little  suspicious.  I    think.      II«  'par 

ticular  in  his  injunctions.     The  fact  K  Klla.  the  allegation^ 

MS  and  the  proofs  are  strong.      If   the  \\iine--eslieof  the  pi 

.   will  convict  and  cashier  Proctor.       The  w<>rM  is.  that  they 

will  take  him  l»y  surprise;  for.  as  it  is  to    U   a  court  of  inquiry  only, 

;><M-ilicalions  will   l»e  submitted,  and   he   will  ,-iticipate 

tln-r  «  harircs  if   he  be  innocent  of   them.      There.  I  can't  show  them 

to  you.  s(,  don't  ask  me." 

11  Hut.  Alfred,  \\ill  you  really  suffer  me  to  do  nothing    -will  you  do 
nothin-  yourself       for  the  safety  of  a  person    a-ain.st    whom  the: 
I  c  onspir, 

What  can  1  do  ?     What  should  1   do  ':     I  have  no   H-M  to  any 
thing  which  shall  involve  a  breach  of   trust.       You  would  i 

[I,    Kl!a.    to  expect    it." 

The  i r  L'irUiirhed  »lc.-ply  ami    look«.l    wi^tfullx   upon    the 

of  papers  which   he  detached    from   the    others,    folded    up.  and    put 
rftoir,      Hut  she  forbore  all  further  entreaty .  ami.  with 
a  good  grace  and  a  cheerful  manner,  jinxccded  to  the  work  a<*i 
her. 

"  And  news  for  you  U»,  Klla."  ^iid  the  young  man.  now   1 
up  from  the  sofa  upon  which  he  had  just  Hum:  hiniM-lf.    "  I 
in  town.    He  came  d..\\n  \est.-rday.  and  was  this  morning  to  s».,    ; 
four.     Hut    he    refused    to    be   seen— was   ton  b;; 
answer;  thouirh  1  knew  he  was   only  busy  with  his   Jailor, 
frequently  consults        perhaps  quite  as   frequent:  INT- 

SOU.      I'roctor  waited  in  IM\  apartment.      I   am    truly  him 


V"1'  K  A  Til  AIM  Ni:    WALTOI7. 

II<-  is  a  th.e   manly-looking   fellow,  and  wore  so  sad,  }'ot  so  noble  a 
countenance." 

Another -i-h  from  Klla  — but  she  sai.l  nothing  in  reply:  ami  in  a 
fe\v  moments  Alfivil  was  a-leep,  fairly  o\ercome  by  llie  toils  of  the- 
day  and  the  preceding  ni^ht.  She.  inean\vhile,  ur^d  her  pen 
with  a  rapid  industry,  which  seemed  resolute,  l>y  devotion  to 
the  task  immediately  before  her.  to  for-vt  the  exciting  and  sor 
rowful  thoughts  wliieli  were  slni^-lini:  in  her  mind.  When  her 
brother  a\voke  her  task  was  nearly  ended.  Hut  his  remained  to  be 
performed;  and,  with  assiduity  that  never  shrunk  from  labor,  she 
continued  to  a-ist  in  his.  It  was  nearly  midnight  when  they 
<-<l. 

'•  We  have  tlonp  enough.  Klla,  for  the  niirht.  and  your  eves  look 
heavy  with  sleep.  You  are  a  dear  «;irl.  my  sister,  ami  I  love  you 
as  In-other  never  loved  sister  before.  D)  you  not  believe 
me  '.'  There,  one  kiss,  and  you  must  to  bed.  Tomorrow  niirhl 
shall  be  a  holiday  for  you.  I  mustn't  receive  a-sMaiiee  in  that  busi- 
.  and  that's  for  to-morrow.  Cood  ni-ht,  Klh,  ; 

nighl 

They  separated,  and    took    their    way    to    their   respective   char.i 

When     Klla    Monckton     reached    hers,    s|,,.    threw    her-elf 

into    a    chair,    and    clapped    her    hands    in    her    lap    with   the  air  of 

"lie    stni  — lin.^    with     a    trreat     necessity     and    a.-ainst     a    strenuous 

desire. 

"  I  mu-t  B66  tho-e  papei-s  :  M  ^\\c  muttered,  in  low  accents,  to  her 
self.  They  may  be  of  the  last  importance  in  7//\  case.  I  cannot 
sull'er  him  to  b<- crushed  by  thc^r  base  and  cruel  enemies.  Shall  I 
have  the  mean-  to  BEV6  him  from  a  .irreat  injustice  —  from  a  \\  n.n- 
which  may  destroy  him-  -  y«-t  forbear  to  u-e  them?  There  i-  ,,o 
morality  in  this  !  If  I  read  HICM-  papers  without  Alfred's  privity,  in 
wli-i',  is  h«-  to  blame  '  He  betrays  no  conlidence;  he  violates  no  trust; 

he  surrenders  no  secret.     I   can   not   si,.,.],  ujti,  this  con\iction.     I 

mu-t  Bee  lhev(.  p;,p,  . 

When-    was    the    heaviness     that      weL'hed     ilmvn     the-e     evelids 

when    her    brother  looked    tenderly    into    her   face  at  parlim:  .      II,- 

dstaken    wh<-ii    In-    as<  ribe.l    tlieir   exj.revsion    ),,  the  need  for 

sleep.      They    were    now    intensely    bright,  and    ,t:litterin^    with    the 

earncstne-s    of    an     excited     will     \\hiih    has    ;,lready    settled    upon 


&OVE  PLAYS  THE  SPY.  '.''', 

its  obj>  nu'ditatioi  "ntinued.  and   occasionally 

out    into  soliloquy.      Her   mind   was    in   coiitlirl,    thou 
will  was  roolutc  and  fixed.      Hut,  with   such  a   \\ill,  ami   Leaded   by 
\  mpathies    of    a    woman's    heart    in    In-half   of    the 
licinu;  whom  it  mo-t   !  in   hardly  doubt  as  to  her  final  000 

flu-ion. 

and  left  her  chamber   with   the   lightest    foot>tcp  in  the 

'vorld  ;  traversed  tin    :  .  liich  divided  her  brother's  chambt  r 

from   her  own,  and   listened   at    the  entrance.     All  was  still    within, 

and    his    li-ht    was    extinguished.       She    returned    in    her   chamber 

uith  a  '  If  of   the    ; 

candle,    and    rapidly    descende. :  re    to    the    library.       The 

c-criloir    \\:  .     but    the    hey.    she    \\.11     kneu.    occupied    tlie 

corner  ,!'   in   the   library.      Her.'   -he   -on-lit   and   found  it. 

;il  to  apply  it   t«>  the   lock,  b  vd  her 

ion  witli  the  rellection.  \\hirh  she  was  -  is  that 

she  -pokr  alolld 

an't  hurt  Alfred  ;  /»    \iolate<  no   trust  —  and  I  may  save  the 
innocent  man  from  the  snan  -  •  !  the  guilty." 

The    moral    philosophy    of    ihi>    s|,,-ecii    \\a^    not    (jui 
:he  speaker  h*  iM-lt.      A  mi'ineiit   after,  and  \\heii  ' 
\\as  laid  op.  '.(r,  and  before  her  hand-  !  forth 

6    the    papers,    -he    clasped     her    palms    together    suddenly   ex 
claim: 

"(I;  could   \oubut    knou  how  much   is  tin 

make  for  youl   ' 

I  ith   her   hands,  and    the 
dropx  >tole  do\\  ii  bet\\e(  n  he: 

She    did    not    IOIIL:    remain     in     this    attitude.       The     ni^ht     Wa«. 
LT'iiiiLT    rapidly.       She    knew    not    the    extent     of    the     labor 
her.    but     she     felt     that     W  -Inmld    be    done 

<|uickly.       She    unfolded    the    p.ip.i^,   \\hicli    \\ere    nunieroi, 
si-tins^    of     Irtte:  ,nda     and     aHidavi!  ad     with     a 

nrrxoii  \\- 

':  Mushed.  here\es  tilled  nu'ain  \\ith  :  saCBDCd 

of    the    contents.      'I'll, 

thai    the    attachment  the    beautiful  daughter 

rebel  \\alton   had    led   to   tin    .  ;he   latter,  that  tin    : 


'.'"x  K  A  THAI;  INI:  WALTON". 

hail   frequently   neglected    his  duties;  had   been    a    frequent    visitor 

at  "The    Oak-,"    and    had   studiously  forborne    to    see    those    signs 

ot'  treason  and  ci.n>j»iracy  which  he  had  been  particularly  set  to 
watch. 

It  docs  not  need  that  we  should  detail  all  the  f;i. 
forth  in  these  documents  against  him.  The  nature  of  the 
*  we  may  conjecture  from  what  is  already  known. 
The  important  matter  in  the  paper*  was  the  sort  of  evidence 
and  the  names  of  the  persons  relied  on  to  establish  the  accusa 
tion.  The  quick  intelligence  of  Klla  Monckton  enabled  her, 
almo>t  at  a  glance,  to  see  how  mucli  of  this  testimony  it  was  im 
portant  for  Proctor  to  know,  and  to  conceive  how  small  a  por 
tion  of  it  was  possibly  open  to  his  conjecture.  She  shuddered 
as  she  reviewed  the  plausable  array  of  circumstances  by  which 
lie  was  enmeshed  ;  and,  while  her  heart  shrank  from  those  par 
ticulars  which  showed  the  extremity  of  his  pa  — iou  for  Katha 
rine  Wali-m.  her  mind  equally  revolted  at  the  depth,  breadth 
and  atrocity  of  the  art  by  which  he  was  to  be  convicted  as  a 
criminal. 

With  a  quick  and  vigilant  thought  she  determined  to  afford  the 
victim  an  opportunity  to  encounter  the  enemy,  who  was  evidently 
iv-olved  upon  surprising  him  by  an  ambush.  She  resolved  to 
make  a  <'iit,ili>ijne  ra  of  the  charges,  the  specifications, 

and  the  evidence  under  them.  l.o\e  lent  her  new  strength  for 
the  task  :  ami  she  who  had  sat  up  till  midni-hl  copying  for  her 
broth. -r  now  <  .<  <  upied  the  re-t  of  the  niirht  in  abriduini:  tlie  docu 
ment-  which  threatened  the  safety  of  the  one  whom  .-he  so  unpn.lita- 
bly  1" 

The  irray  dawn  was  already  peeping  throuirh  the  shutter-  of 
her  chamber  window  when  she  was  preparing  to  retire.  She 
had  completed  her  task.  Kxcludinir,  all  unimportant  matter- 
all  ui!!  preliminarily-  -he  had  irade  out  a  complete  re 
port  of  the  ca-e  a-  it  was  to  be  prosecuted  before  the  court  of 
inquiry.  She  had  copied  so  much  of  the  te-iimony  a-  was 
needful  to  cover  the  points  made;  dismissing  all  surplus-lire,  and 
confining  her-elf  to  the  absolute  evidence  alone  ;  and  completed 
rrative  by  a  full  li-t  of  all  the  witnesses  who  were  relied 
on  to  eslabhMi  the  char:-  I  the  victim  With  tlii-  <  vi- 


—  ession,  and  \vitli  ample  time  allowed   him    it   was 
in    I'n  if    really    innocent,    to  meet     hi>    enemies  on 

their   o\\n    ,-n.mid;  to   eiieounier    their   witness  with    oth.  : 
rebut   their   alli'irations   with    all    th<  in    explain 

what  was  equivocal  in  the  history  of  his  unfortunate  command 
at  l»"rchester.  To  cover  the  papers  which  she  had  c..pie<l 
out,  in  a  brief  note,  and  under  a  d:-Lrui-.ed  hand  to  I1 
wa-  the  completion  of  her  ta-k:  and  this  d<>ne,  and  the  packet 
.  pi.i.r  Klla.  doubtful  of  the  propriety  of  what  she  had 
done,  yet  the  slave  of  a  neee-sity  that  found  its  authority  in 
her  be-t  aU'ections.  retired  to  her  pillow,  with  «  :ull  of 

.TiT  them  to  be  quickly  sealed  by  sleep. 

.    next    day.    I'roetor    \\a-    in  :i    of    the    park- 

age    from     his    unknown    but     friendly  -dent,    and    saw, 

with     mingled     feelii  :t-ternalion    and    relief,     how    lar^c 

a     b.,dy     «,f    evidence     ha<l     1  i  ,  n     «  ..njiin-tl     up     a^ain^t     him,    and 
with    how  much    subtlety    and    art.      Vet.    with    the    -.,111.'    of    his 

I    revealed    to    him.    he    aKo    felt     how    comparative!;. 
it    would    1"  -t    their   machinations.     Hut    let    u>  not  antic 

ipate. 

ne  surprise,  th,  'iinir.  that    Alfred    Monck 

iid  liis  >i>trr  pn-pi'-.'  to  her  mother  to  accompany  her  on 
a  vi-it  to  Katharine  \Vall<>n.  lie  ]n..k<d  up.  at  the  moment. 
and  caught  her  eye-,  but  said  nothing.  Hut.  an  i 

Monekton    ha«l    retired.    Klla   IK  r-t  -If   volunteer,  d   an    explana 
tion    of    tin'  motives  which   had 

latkun, 

Del    P.alfour   lia-  M  t    hi     h«  art    up<>n   thU   ladv'-  U-i: 
(ei\cd    i!,t.t  lOCietj,  Alfred,  it   is  j.artieularly  incumbent   upon  u>  to 
do    what    we  can    t«>   pleaSfl    him.      Tin's   will    be  the   \v,}': 

of  tli.-  |..yali-»    party  in   the  cit\,  and   my  n-fusil.  or  t 

licy  would  only  subject  me  t.. 
That  my  mother  sin  .-,  .  and  not    1,  would  c-ertainly   be 


She  i-ai^ed.  and   In  r  In-lner  nut    her  Lrlanee   with  an   eqi, 
simile.      Her  <  heeks  IhNied.  and   then,  \\itli  sudden  •    man 

ner.  she  eonlii 

"  And,  the   truth   i-.  Al!  '    -»  e  hei  .      I   shall    • 


XMO  KATHARINE   \\AI.TON. 

until  I  do.  I  will  nerve  myself  for  tin-  encounter  with  my  best 
strciiLith.  and  endure  Hie  meeting  with  ;dl  the  courage  and  philos 
ophy  I  can  nia-ter.  The  eiieiny  is  never  more  formidable  than  when 
at  a  distance;  and  — and  — 1  am  not  without  hope  that,  when  1 
Bee  Mi*^  Vv'alton  near,  1  shall  tind  in  her  such  (nullifications  of  her 
beauty  as  \\  ill  -erve  to  e\cu>e  a  lover  for  becoming  c(.ld  in  his  devo 
tions,  particularly  if  —  it'  —  he  lias  no  longer  reason  to  indulge  in 
hope." 

••  Never  hope  it,  Ella.  Opinion  seems  to  be  too  universally 
;  on  this  subject.  But  I  am  ulad  that  you  have  thus  deter 
mined.  The  sooner  we  can  reconcile  ourselves  to  a  painful  subject, 
which  we  are  nevertheless  compelled  to  encounter,  the  better  for  our 
happiness.  You  will  have  to  meet  her.  soon  or  late,  for  -e\eral  balls 
in  her  honor  are  in  preparation.  Colonel  Cruden  has  already  re 
solved  on  making  the  Pinckney  House  a  sort  of  Palace  of  Pleasure, 
and  as  their  ward  of  the  cro\\n,  Mi-s  Walton  is  to  be  the  queen 
thereof.  lie  will  be  followed,  as  a  matter  of  course,  by  the  fashion 
able  widow,  Mrs.  Cornelia  IJivinirton,  and  she  by  a  do/en  others,  all 
emulous,  on  a  small  scale,  of  working  after  her  patterns.  But  I 
nuM  to  my  task.  The-e  papers  will  keep  me  more  than  half  the 
ni.L'ht.  Mow  I  \\Mi.  Klla.  that  I  could  let  you  see  them,  but  I  dare 
not.  Ah!  if  poor  Proctor  only  had  these  paper-!  " 

And  tlicyoun-  man  proceeded  to  hi>  solitary  labors.  His  sister 
dared  not  look  up  and  meet  hi*  dance,  while  he  spoke  so  innocently 
of  the  secrets  in  his  ponettton.  She  blushed  at  the  consciousness  of 
the  theft  of  them,  which  she  had  comi'iiitcd;  her  conscience  not 
quite  saii-fied  that,  even  with  the  mo-t  virtuous  motive  in  the  world, 
she  was  quite  ri^lit  in  doini:  wrong. 


I  L8HIONABLE   MX  I  i:n     I  \    QA  i;i;i  '.'I  I 


c  ii  A  I-T  I:K  \  \  1 1 1. 

FASH  ION  .\r.u;  BOOin  Y    IN    QABRI8ON, 

Ii  WM  eleven   in   thr  in.. ruin-,    by  the  massive  mahogany 
that    Mood     in    tin-     Lnvat     entrance     to     the     -.[.acinus    dwelling    at 
the  fin.t   i.f    Uroad    Mreet.   which  was   occupied    by  the  fashionable 
N         iMvinirtim.       This  lady  WHS  the   wid.'wof   a   wealthy    planter, 
one    df    the    kinir's    former  counsellors    f,.r    the    pr  •  .1,    for 

a  goodly  term  of  years,  the  holder  of  an  otlice  of  dignity  and 
pmtit  under  that  bc-t  tenure,  ih/r-n.t,  '.,/,,  placito,  in  a  mon 
archy.  Tin-  \\<>rthy  widow,  as  in  duty  bound,  -hared  in  the  un- 
>elli>h  devotion  to  the  crown  by  which  her  lord  and 
di-tin_Miishe<l.  She  \\:IN  naturally  true  to  an  old  M-hool  in  which, 
not  only  had  all  her  at  all  her  fortunes,  been  acquired. 

She   wa-   DOW,    accordinir]  \  !.«yali-l.    and    the   leader 

witli  all  that  clav<  in  the  Lroo<l  city  of  (  harloton  \\h«>  professed 
similar  ways  of  thinking.  She  cut  m.M  other^  with  little  h«-ita 
lion.  She  turned  her  back,  with  a  ino>t  sovcn:  of  gu- 

preinacy  upon  the  (I.-MUdin^  and  the  Uutledires  —  upon  all  those, 
in  other  words.  \\h'>m  >he  could  not  >ubje(  t  to  her  author- 
it^.  1.  to  her  IWtJ  W9M  fatal  to  thr  olTnidi-r.  A 
d.>ubt  of  her  supreii.  .  -;ed  at 
ha/anl.  She  aimed  at  Bodl  a  tyranny  in  s«K-ii-ty-  ' 
-  little  prepared  to  av..\\  her  poli.-y  a^  the  kin.i:  of  Great 
Britain  wa-  d.-imu-  •  r  the  brief 
period  of  time  in  which  the  P.ritMi  .-niiand 
of  the  cit\  1  it  successfully.  She  was  an  imjmr- 
tant  acquisition  to  the  irarri-on.  She  had  \\ealth.  nnd  tlje  tem 
per,  to  employ  it  — was  witty  if  not  \VJM-.  and  her  supjK-r 
;  Fair,  but  not  fat.  m-r  mu.  , 


•JT.'  K. \TIIAi;  INK    WALTON. 

alctl  borderline  in  widowhood,  of  forty,  Mrs.  Cornelia 
had  as  many  admirers,  of  a  certain  sort,  as  any  of  the  more  le 
gitimate  IK  HIM  within  the  limits  of  the  garrison.  Stout,  red  laced 
majors  of  foot,  who  had  impaired  their  lives  in  the  free  u-c  of 
curry  and  .Jamaica,  who  enjoyed  the  i^ood  things  of  tliis  life 
witliout  much  regard  to  the  cost,  wlien  the  expense  was  borne 
by  another  —  or  to  the  evils,  when  the  suffering  only  followed 
the  feast  and  did  not  interfere  with  it  —  these  were  generally 
the  most  devoted  admirers  of  the  wealthy  widow.  They  would 
have  been  pleased  — a  score  of  them—  to  persuade  her  out  of 
her  widowhood,  at  her  earliest  convenience;  hut,  with  all  her 
infirmities  of  wealth  and  vanity  —  both  of  which  prompt,  quite 
commonly,  to  put  one's  self  into  the  keeping  of  another — she 
had  up  to  the  present  moment,  proved  inaccessible  to  the  plead 
ings  and  persuasions  upon  the  perilous  subject  of  a  second  mat 
rimony.  Her  life,  as  a  widow,  was  more  cheering  and  grateful. 
sub  TOKO ,  than  she  had  found  it  when  a  devoted  wife,  subject  to 
a  rule  at  home,  which  had  acquired  its  be-4  lesson^-  from  an  ar 
bitrarv  ollieial  exercise  of  authority  abroad.  In  brief,  M?x  Ki\- 
inirton's  present  mode  of  life  \\  as  an  ample  revenue  for  her  suf 
ferings  in  wifedom.  She  had  no  notion  of  iroin.i:  back  to  the 
old  experiences  and.  perhaps,  was  by  no  means  satisfied  with 
the  special  candidates  amon.n'  the  ^arris,, n  \\h<>  had  sought,  with 
l)ended  bodies  and  fair  smirkiiii:  \  isaires.  tor  the  privii- 
kniiimj  the  soft  hand,  the  touch  of  which,  in  the  ordinary  ci\il- 
ities  of  s(1(-iet\.  they  prole-sed  to  find  so  wondrou-ly  pn-voca 
tive  of  the  de-ire  for  denial  retention.  The  widow  smiled 
p-aciou-ly  enough  ii|>on  her  ///,/>/  admirers;  but  her  smiles 
h-d  to  no  substantial  results,  and  afforded  but  little  cnoour 

agement.       As     Major    Kirkw 1     sullenly    exclaimed     ainon-     his 

me— male-,    at     T\  Iman's    Club  House,    on     the     I  Jay.    near     T  radii 
street  — 

"  She's  one  of  the  few  women  1  have  ever  met.  who,  with  so 
much  wealth,  and  not  more  than  forty  five,  had  fairly  cut  her 
eye-tOOth.  She's  not  to  be  taken  in  by  gammon.  The  fad  K 
professions  are  of  ftfl  little  value  ill  her  eyes  as  ill  ours; 
and  the  whole  u.ime  with  her  is  one  of  a  calculation  too  ^tiid 
to  suffer  such  nonsense  as  the  affections  to  be  taken  into  the 


•    PA8HIOS  \nu:  >.M  Bri    IN   QABB]  818 

it  all.      What  do  you  think  si,.  -,,(-.  when  ! 

myself  to  sax  /j.sh.  fjalterin-  DOOMIiae  in  her 

:    «•"«•  ..f   his   r,.inpaiiiMns 
with  a  >h«.ut. 

il  a  i.it  :  unless  -.!»«•  construed  a  very  common  ipeecb  of  the 

'Mini;  which  none  of  us  think  to  L'ive  it." 
"  i;"'  "'hi.  rtainly  meant,  major." 

"  Out  with  it.  OxLorne.  and  OOnfeai  you  proposed.      Your  gill 
tlir  - 

They  were  certainly  red  enough. 

10,    I   t.-ll   you.  unless  you  find  an  avowal  in  a   common- 
: 

'     What  w;l.  if  J     The  words  — the  WQtd 

The  ili-maiid   was  unaniniou>,  and.  with  an  incrraxin.i:  redness  of 
and  throat,  the   hardy   major  of  SCpoya   admiited   that    he  had 

SUtr.Tr.1    hinisrif    to     My     to     thr     UlMoW     that     he    >l,oul.I    Le    the    hap. 

pi«-t  -nan  in  the  u.-rld  to  take  her   widowho-.d  under  the  shadow  of 
the   Kirkwood  name. 

"  What,"  he  added.  "  ha>  Le«-ri  sii.l  Ly  all  of  us.  a  thousand  tiroes, 
to  a  thousand  dillVrent  women,  and  without  attarliini:  anv  real  n 
ini:  to  tlir  -p<-eeh." 

(lA I     That    won't    d,,.  major.     The  speeeh  is  iniMM-.-nt 
WOO          !         01    VMU.   at    a   fn.lir  in    th,-  midst  ,,f  supper,  or   while 
Mhirlin-    throu-h    the    hall-room.      Uut     time  and    pia,  e  alter     the 
thin-  \,TV  materially.      Now.  did    y«>u    not   say    ti, 
i"  a  morning  rail,  and  did  you  not  entreat  thr  meetin. 

in.irton  ix  n,,i  the  woman  t..  mistake  a  ^.Idicr's  Dalian 

by  for  a  formal  p!«>poMtj,)n.    N(I.  ,,,,  •    T)i(.  ^i,,,),.  truth,  «.M 

Confess  !   eoiirev-  ;  " 

push  in.-  quite  (00   hard  i       \ 

wonder  where  yoaraOOOtmtl    w,,uld  xt:,,,,!.  if  you  \\err  >e,,rrd  i"  tin- 
manner  •gall*  the  wall.      Hut  I  frankly  admit  that  it  Wai  in  the 
course, -f  a  moriiini:  rail   that  .Mrs.  Uivin-ton  construe.l    my  rotnpli- 
mentary  <-ommonphur  into  a  proposal." 

"  Von  die  hard.  Kirkwood."  replied  -  p.ut  I  have  a  reason 

for  puttini:  y,>u   to   the   torture,  sine,-,  to  anticipate  d  !   am 

disposed  to  1:0  to  the  confessional    myself.      The  truth  i 
an  inklin-of  what  Kirkuoo.l  inu uded.      I  had  n,  • 


'.Ml  KATHAIMNi:    WAI.h'N. 

at  the  trout  for  nothing.  It  was  at  Yauxhall  thai  I  overheard  him 
arrange  to  MM'  her  at  her  lit. use  the  next  day.  Tin-  hour 
and  all  was  appointed,  and  a  irlaner  at  the  \\ido\\ 
tlie  moment,  showed  me  that  Kirk  was  a  <  andidate  fur  the 
'  back  door  out.'  Half  an  hour  after,  I  walked  with  her 
ladyship  myself.  I,  too,  had  >et  my  heart  upon  this  same  comely 
tish"  — 

"  What,  you,  major  ?  "  was  the  query  from  several  voices. 

••  You've  been  on  the  >ly.  then  ".  " 

"  I  confess  it,  boys,  in  the  bitterness  of  my  heart,  and  \\ith  a  -ere 
conscience;  happy  ;  however,  that  I  am  able  to  lay  my  hand  on  an 
other's  shoulder  and  say,  as  the  blind  man  said  to  the  ass.  'there's  a 
pair  of  us.  In-other  !  " 

"  Well,  what  ne.\t,"  demanded  Kirkwood  himself,  somewhat  im 
patiently. 

"  I'll  make  the  Story  short  for  your  accommodation.  You  arranged 
to  call  upon  the  widow  at  twelve.  I  entreated  the  privilege  of  M  .  in- 
her  just  one  hour  later." 

"  The  devil  \ou  did  \  " 

"  Yes,  i'faith  :  and  I  will  venture  a  trille  that  our  an-wers  were 
both  in  the  same  laniruairr," 

•  Yet,  perhap^.  if  the  questions  were  alike,"  irmwlrd  Kirk- 
w I. 

"Oh,  mine  wa-  a  nriinenlal  commonplace,  pretty  much  as 
yours.  In  plain  terms,  I  did  as  you  did,  ofl'ercd  myself, 
hand.  In-art,  and  fortune  —  }><>nr  jmxm  r  I,  (<  ////w  —  only,  I  a.vsiuv 

you." 

'  And  her  an-wer  7  "  imoih  Kirkwood. 

"  \Yhat    WU   VMIIIX  f    demanded  Slock. 

••  I'd  ftfl  lief  tell  it  as  not.  It  wa^  a  sly  an-wer.  Mich  as  she  would 
have  made  believing  me  to  be  in  earned." 

44  Or  not  believing  it.      Uul  let's  have  it." 

"Major  Kirkwo.Ml,1  said  she,  'I've  seen  too  many  people 
trom  the  blarney -tone,  to  allow  me  not  to  understand  you. 
It  will  be  your  fault  if  you  do  not  understand  me.  Of  cotine, 
major,  you  mean  nothing,  of  what  you  say.  If  I  could  think 
that  you  did,  I  >hoiild  think  as  little  of  your  understanding  as 
I  should  tin  n  believe  you  thought  of  mine.  But,  hereafter,  even 


r  L8HIONABLE   BO  II:TV    i  \    <•  \i;i:i  -.'I*. 

ilo  lid  let  me   hear   you  •••.      \N  V  ft] 

1  to  MiflYr  from  any  innocent  credulity.'  " 
•    ll;i'  ha'  ha!     H«>'  ho1  ho'      Hurrah   for  the   widow    |Ji\: 

\ml  your  an>\viT,  S1 

"Thr  -aim-  in  Mili-^tance,  tln.ii.irli  not  in  words  bdl  full  of 

deviltry." 

"Ha!  ha1  ha!     What    a   widow'     She'd   kill   olT  the   iv-inient    in 
short  order." 

'•\Vell    for    11*    that    precious    few  cut    their    eye  ti  «  li 
ciou-ly."  rrs|M>nded  the  p.od  humored  Stock.     "  Hut  you  look  Milky. 
Kirkw.      :       I'    :»'t    harbor  malice,    my   boy.     The   widow's  suppers 
admirable    as   ever.  and    she   Miiili  •  tly  as   if  she  had 

never  tlunir  the  l)laniey-^tone   in  the  face  of  either." 

•'Hid    -he  tell  you   of  my  vi>it  ?  "  irr«»\vled    Kirkwood.  in   painful 

Inquiry. 

V>t    a    syllabic.      I  COM  jectmvd    her    answer   to   you    from   that 

whic-h  >h«-  inatlr  tii  inc.      Jielie\iii_r   my-elf  to  be  the   hand-oiner.  the 

>  r.  and  the  better  man.  and  kimwinir  '"  ''  '"  1>r  '^  w«'iuaii  of  ail 

mirab''  aturally  felt    sure   that  \  »\\  (  .>uld    n..t  staml  \\ln-n-  I 

had  fallen." 

"Out  upon  you  for  a  vain  puppy'"  cri.d    Kirkwoo.l.  a<   tl, 
riinrnt  of  his  comrades  ram;  in  hi- 

Tin-   lauirh  was   a-ainst    him.  ami    he   felt    tha[  any  further  show 

would     only  ,v     hU     a:  \\ith     an 

elTort     lie    succeeded    in    r«-     >\eriiiL;    hN  ^tn  iiirth   and    compi.Mire    of 

face,    and    the    two    battled    candidates   a    few   mommls    later.    \M  re 

'.     to    call    upon    the  :iilinur    lhcm-« 

a     IH-W    pri\ile-.-     \\hiih     -'        had     jil-t    aic.  ird«d    to    the    fa-hional'le 
\\orld.    by    \\hich    an    ant      iciidian    vi-i:  «    mis 


Ki\  iii-ton   hail  ji.  t   ;    lopted   a  r.»undof  "  inoriiinirs."     H.I 

room*  were  thrown  open  *t  «ira  iinopentfll<  -      11 

held  /,»•.',.<!'.  ..tii.  n  \\hnlly.     The  d«  \  i<  e  \\  -H   n«  ,\       |.crhaps 

ed    to    legitimate    Niu-h    vi-ii-    as    ili.»se  which    Kiiku  .....  1    ami 
Stock  had  paid  her.      At  all  c\,  nN    -he  made  ih.-  \ivits   :, 
able,  and  found  security  in  numbers      In    a   «-p»\\«l    -lie  could  escape 
the  dan-'-r-  of  a  'i  from 

kissing  the  -tone  ..f  blarney. 


21G  KATHAKINi:    WALTON. 

The  old  mahogany  clock  that  stood,  "like  :i  tower,"  in  the 
great  passage  of  the  stately  mansion  of  Mrs.  Rivington.  at  tin- 
foot  of  Broad  street.  was,  us  we  have  said  before,  0:1  the  stroke 
of  eleven,  when  the  doors  were  thrown  wide  fur  the  reception 
of  company.  And  very  soon  they  came.  Mrs.  Kivinglon  was 
not  the  person  to  be  neglected  by  the  Charleston  fashionables 
at  that  period,  when  the  objection  to  the  equivocal  in  place  and 
birth  was  not  so  tenaciously  urged  as  in  modern  times.  The 
indulgent  requisitions  of  that  day  insisted  rather  vpon  externals 
than  the  substance.  In  brief,  wit  and  miith,  and  good  clothing, 
and  manners  scions  Ics  regies,  satisfied  the  utmost  demands  of 
the  nice  and  scrupulous,  and  nobody  needed  to  boast  of  his 
grandmother  to  find  his  proper  «tatus  on  the  floor.  There  were 
bores  in  those  days  as  in  ours,  and  strange  t<»  say,  some  of  the 
most  unexceptionable  in  point  of  quality  and  family  belonged  to 
this  description.  Hut  worlds  and  cities  are  oddly  made  up;  and 
lie  who  would  be  tolerant  in  building  up  humanity  must  not 
show  himself  hostile  to  any  sort  of  blocks.  Mrs.  Kivington 
knew  just  as  well  as  anybody  else  of  what  miscellaneous  stun" 
society  is  made.  She  was  indulgent  in  proportion  to  her  expe 
rience. 

"La,  you  there?"  she  said  to  IVnfield.  who  wrote  gent,  after  his 
name,  and  had  once  been  a  lawyer  in  hope  to  be  attorney  general  of 
(lie  pro\incc.  He  had  turned  up  his  aristocratic  nose  ;,t  BOOM  of  the 
///  i-'loi  of  the  saloon. 

"  I, a.  \ou  there  counsellor,  and  be  merciful  to  yourself  if  not 
to  me.  Were  \\e  to  admit  the  quality  only,  we  should  die  of 
atrophy,  or  commit  suicide,  or  somi-  oilier  less  dignified  sin;  and 
u.ir  we  not  to  sutler  the  ,;,„,,,':'•  Mliy  \\oiild  lack  the 

only  provocation  that  makes  them  endurable.  You,  for  exam 
pie,  have  scaredy  had  a  word  to  say  >ince  your  entrance,  till 
you  saw  that  long  line  of  Smiths  make  their  appearance,  and 
since  that  moment  vour  words  and  features  have  both  been  pos 
itively  sublime.  Shall  I  make  the  Smiths  known  to  you? 
They  are  n-ally  very  clever  people  — good  company  enou-h  for 
the  summer." 

"f    thank    vou.      I'.ut    how    is     the    name    spelled?     With    an    * 


FASH  ION.  \ui.i:  BOi  11  M    IN    OARR] 

"What  ilitli  .-'-nee  does  that  make?"  inquired  Mr-.  Uivi: 
•'  All  tin-  ditTerence  in  the  world,  madam.  The  Sm//thes  ami 
not  the  Sin/ths  arc  to  lie  known  in  Mu-i.tv.  It  is  the  fanner 
only  which  you  will  tind  anioiii:  the  noble  families  in  Kii-land. 
Indeed,  tin-  Smiths  have  all  snub  noses,  which,  as  my  venerable 
trrandmother  always  MSUTed  DK  n  of  low  birth  and  doubt 

ful    origin.       Kxcuse  me  ;     but   as  they  are  erOttfog  liere,  I'd    rather 

tind  my  way  to  the  opposite  end  of  tin-   r n.       The-e  steel   mirrors 

irs  exhibit  the  outline  admirably.  Tiny  are  just  at  the 
proper  haiiLT.  Ah.  my  dear  Mrs.  KiviniMon,  could  we  only  choose 
properly  our  i:u> 

And.  with   a   •  ii:h.    iVntield,    fVftf.,  CFOOBed    the    apartment,  while 
.iths.    live    in    number,    male  and    female,     with   a   warm    im 
pnKr.    th.-it    b.-traxed  frohni-s   and    exuberance,    not    the    les> 
fid  be.'au-e  vulgar,  came  forward  alino-t  at  a  bound,  to  ac  knowledge 

the   pre-cliee  <,f     their  bOtfc 

i  came  but  a  inoineiit  too  late,  jrirN."  said  the  widow. 
"I  should  otherwise  have  broiiirht  to  your  acquaintance  the 
famous  counsellor,  Pentield.  a  man  of  talents,  and  connected  with 
the  oldest  families  in  the  country." 

Mi«  such   thinir.   my   dear    Mrs.  Kivin-rton." 

Mr-     .Jeremiah     Smith,    the    mother    of    the    tloek.         "  You    never 

•  iter    mistake    in    your    life.       Old    IVnfield.    the   irrami- 

father   of    thi-  youiii:    fellou .    \,  ,1    man  rnoiii:h.    and  <juite 

I     b<  li.  ve         lie     \\a-     a    tir-tiate    silversmith;      and    all    of 

our  plate  —  no   i:reat   deal    I'll  all<>\\        bears    hi-  -tamp    and    brand. 

My    father    u-ed    !«•  say.    in    his   piai-e.    that    you    could    r«  ly    upon 

tinur  into    his  v| us  all    the   old    silver  that    you    Lra\e   him. 

AS  f.  >r  thi<  \  ouiiLTster  "  go  -he  call-'d  a  p«  r-^n  of  thirt\ 
"he  \\.-i-  spoiled  b\  Sir  Ki't-rti.n  I.ei-h.  who.  tindin-  that  la- 
wrote  a  L'ood  hand,  took  him  a-  hi-  and  aft«-ruard 
made  something  of  a  lawyer  of  him.  Ami  tlmt'x  the  true  his 
I'll  have  a  talk  with  him.  and  set  him  riirht  in  his 
L-enea: 

'    l>  M         Smith,    and  you   \\ill    be    dnfnir    him    a 

service.        I     really   beli.-ve.    if    M  <ld    could     learn    tl» 

from  a  proper  authority,  it  would  be  the  making  of  him." 
"Would    he    like    it     think    you.    Mr-      Ui\  iiiiMon  v  "       whi 

10 


'.MS  K  A  THAU  INK     WAI. TON. 

the  old    lady,    now,  for   the    first   time    having  sonar  doubts  <>n  the 
subject 

"Oh,  surely,  my  dear  madam;  he  is  the  most  grateful  being 
in  the  world  to  any  person  who  will  prove,  unquestionably,  the 
antiquity  of  his  family." 

And  the  mischievous  widow  turned  away  to  the  reception  of 
other  gue-ts  ;  hut  not  losing  sight  of  the  Smiths,  whom  she  saw 
in  a  drove,  following  in  the  wake  of  the  mother  as  she  waddled 

•lie  room,  in  full  chase  of  IVnfield,  the  gentleman. 
The  rooms  were,  by  this  time,  filled  with  various  groups  of 
both  86X68,  civil  and  military.  The  British  officers  loomed  out 
conspicuously  in  their  scarlet,  while  here  and  there,  might  be 
seen  a  Ioyali-1  captain  or  colonel,  in  the  more  modest  green  or 
blue  of  his  oun  command.  These  persons  were  not  prominent 
nor  particularly  popular,  and  it  might  be  seen  that  they  were 
not  often  sought  out  by  the  officers  of  the  regular  service.  The 
ladies  seemed  inclined  to  ^ive  them  the  cold  shoulder  also. 
though  this  might  be  owinir  entirely  to  the  fact  that  none  of  them 
had  particularly  distinguished  himself  by  his  services  in  the  ranks 
of  his  majesty. 

(Jeneral  \V illiauiM >n,  who  made  his  appearance  at  this  time, 
'her  more  in  favor.  Hut  he  was  a  //<  m /•<//,  and  something 
still  was  expected  at  his  hands.  It  was  the  policy  of  the  Brit 
ish  officers  to  encourage  this  opinion,  and  to  treat  him  accord 
inirly.  Hut  even  ///*  star  was  on  the  wane.  He  felt  it  so,  and 
rated  the  courtesies  he  received  at  their  true  value.  lie  was 
not  the  person  Jo  figure  in  a  saloon,  and  his  appearance-  now 
was  quite  as  much  to  prevent  his  absence  lieing  remarked,  as 
to  compel  remark  by  his  presence.  lU-Me-,  Mrs.  ]{i\  ington's 
reunions  were  of  a  sort  to  provide  the  «n  <Ht  of  the  garrison,  and 
note  equally  opinion.-,  and  events.  Williamson  \\;1s  too  deeplv 
involved  in  polilics  to  find  the  scene  an  attractive  one,  and  he 

•  1  but,  a  little  while  after  showing  himself  to  the  li 
lt    was   while   he    conver-ed    with    her,  how.  ver,  that    the   sal i 

Wai   thrown   into  quite    a    bu//  of  excitement   by   t!  of  the 

famous    bi-llrs.     /»//•    t.n',11,  i,,;  ,    the     Ilarveys        the  -     they 

allantly    styled    by    the    gallant     Harry    Harry.       They    were 

certainly     beautiful     girl<  ;     but    the    beauty,     beyond    companion, 


PASHI09ABLE   BOCIETT    I  \    G  LRR] 

of   the   th-  Mary,  tin-   younger,  lovingly    anil  not  irreverently 

railed     Moll     Harvey.      l'.e>ide    her    all    tin-    oth<  ••  w    pair. 

'iipcll     rapidly     made    her    way     t<>    Other  B    an 

opposite   direction;  th"    lively    1'lu-lps.    more    di^niliedly.    followed 
this     example  ;  and     other     smaller     lustre-,    fearing    in    like    man 

that  their  lesser  tires  would  be  entirely  extinguished,  left  an 

open    path    for     the    advancing    beauties   to   tin •;• 
teas. 

It        will      lie      enough      if      We      confine      our      ileseriplii.il      of     the 

U'auty.  on  this  occasion,  to  the  one  liein-r  \vh.  -ion  of   it 

thus    conclusively     rcco^ii/cd    by    the    spontaneous    ! 

rival.      Moll     Harvey    was    of     middle    si/c    and    most    symmetrical 

tiLMire.    BMC  and  gnoe  were  natural  to  her  as  life    it-elf ;  i.ut  her 

motion  was  n«t  that    simply    • 

is   impulse   in   her    movemei;1  .  dsite    elastieiiy     whii-h 

divpi,,\ed    itsilf   in   a   thousand   raprie'-s  «.f  1    to 

.    her    forward    buoyantly    as    a    thini:    posse^sinir     tin-     inlinile 
siijiport     and     treaSOTC     Of     tli--    til  '    ordin;ii\    speech, 

sneh     w.-is    the     relation    which    her    action     l>oiv    to    the    common 
movements  of   her  s<\.     A    fairy   property   in   her  nature  M-«-in.-«l  to 

bring  with  her  the  spring  and  all  its  tiowers  where  she  came;  and 

the     loveliness     \\hich    appeared    t<>    ray    out    from    her    p 
she  walked  or  danced,    compelled    the    involuntary    1  the 

inakinir  the   thoii-ht    forgetful   of  all  search   or  iinjuiry  except 
through  that  siiiLrle  medium. 

It  was  the  day  for  liuckrain  li.-ures  and  Marche.l  p\  ramidal 
structures  upiui  the  head,  remindini:  you  of  tin-  toweiin-  tein 
plcsofih-  Cyl.ele.  Hut  Moll  Harvey  h;td  <juitc  tOO  eZOel 

lent    a    nati\e     ta-te     to    s.:(-rilirr    her     p-imim-     luauiii-s    to    ' 
monstrous    eXOOSMt    "f    fa-hion.      A    wood  nymph    could    not    1 
attired     hi-rs.-lf    much     more     loosely.      She    would     ha\.- 
a«lmiralily    as     the     nio.lel      for     M  L      A   1 

tlowin-:    skirt,    the    cii:<  lure    l»y    no    n.<  v    drawn 

lirini;     to     show     that     her     tii:'!!-  ;^''» 

rymar    encircled,  hut    did    not    enclose    the    bust,  \\hieh.  it   nn:» 
con!  -    much    more    freely    displayed    tl. 

the  Of    times  — so  white,   so  full   and  exquisitely 

rounded. 


:.'\M»  K  AT II  A  i;  INK    WALTON. 

Symmetry  was  UK-  exquisite  characteristic  in  the  beauty  of 
Moll  Harvey.  The  white  pillar  of  the  neck,  the  skin  softer  and 
purer  than  ivory,  delicately  warmed  by  health  and  a  generous 
blood,  rose  from  the  bust  with  a  graceful  motion  that  carried  its 
expression  also,  and  seemed  endowed  with  utterance  of  its  own. 
Nor  was  the  head  wanting  to,  nor  the  face  unworthy  of,  the 
r.-st  of  our  fair  picture.  A  perfect  oval,  the  brows  rising  up  nobly 
and  showing  a  goodly  mass  above  the  eyes;  the  e\es  arched 
fairly,  with  brows  of  jetty  black,  not  thick  and  weighty,  yet 
impressive  ;  the  lashes  long,  the  orbs  full,  but  not  obtrusive,  lighten 
ing  now,  and  now  drooping,  as  with  a  weight  of  tenderness,  (hang 
ing  with  the  rapidity  of  light  in  correspondence  with  emotions 
which  were  forever  quickening  in  her  wild,  warm  heart;  the  nose 
and  mouth  both  (Jivcian,  of  the  most  perfect  cut  and  finish  :  and 
the  chin  sv.-etly  rounded  to  perfect  the  whole.  When,  over  the 
white,  full  shoulders,  you  have  thrown  the  happily  disordered 
.  and  when,  upon  the  forehead,  you  mark  the  nice  dexter 
ity  which  has  grouped  the  frequent  locks  in  the  ino.o 
and  playful  relationship,  ready,  like  the  silken  streamers  of  the 
corn,  to  hold  converse  with  every  pawing  /.ephyr.  you  see  the 
outline  of  look,  face.  form,  feature,  but  lack  still  that  inspiring 
presence,  the  life,  the  soul,  which,  lik"  the  aroma  to  the  llower, 
the  possession  of  a  secret  something  to  which  the-e  are 
but  as  the  chalices  that  contain  the  e^enlial  spirit.  Sec  the  life 
that  lightens  up  the  features  into  love,  and  gives  a  motion  &8  of 
the  liiM  tli-hts  of  a  wanton  bird,  and  you  forget  the  external  form 
in  the  real  beauty  of  soul,  and  fancy,  and  feminine  impuNe.  that 
animates  it  from  within.  Ah  !  too  sadly  left  untuiored,  that 
wild  and  froward  heart,  that  passionate  inipuNe,  that  delirious 
irlow  of  feeling,  which  now  but  too  frequently  usurp  the  s\\ay 
and  overwhelm  the  alTectioiis  ibdued 

and    patient      -with    fierce   pa  — ions   that    appeal   ever  to  llic   1:M    -ad 
tyranny  of  self. 

'fhe    beauties     of     Moll      Harvey      naturally    provoked    retlectiolis 

eet     to    her     future     fortunes.     The    crov,  d    which    gathered 

about    her,    and    the    few    that    retreated    from    ln-r    side,    were    all 

equally     familiar      with     her    career.       They     had    censures,     free 

enough,    in    regard    to    her    intimacy    with    Prince    William,  then  a 


BIOHAB1 

lieutenant    in    the    Hritish    n:ivy.       Th«  y     knew    ho\\  had 

been    the    attentions    of     Balfour.    and     how     undi-L'i.:  his 

honi:  they    well    knew  that    he  had    k*  pt    himself  from  any 

'ute   committal-  ;    and,   knowing    the  humble  diameter    of    her 
fortunes    and    the    seliish    ehara<-ter    of     his    anil)ition  — 1 

1    of    \\ealtli    and    power       they    never   doubted    that     tin-    Ilir 
talion    between    the     parties     would     never    a— nine    a    nn-r. 
Upect,  or,  if   it    did.  an    aspect    <|iiite   too    serious    to    ':  .1    to 

the    fame    and    future    of    the    fain  r  and   th  ITty,      A 

beautv    swept    I iy    with    lier    train,     the    whole    subject     I 

dteUHed    by    all    t!  •  who  but    live  by  other-'  pain." 

Our  excellent    Mr-.  Smith,  still  followed    by  the  clan  of   Smith, 
the  tir<t  to  open  the  >nr\ 

••Her    QOM    i-  out    of    joint    now,  I    reckm.     'II  A  alton 

i-    n«t    onh     a-    baodMNH6    M    dM   -every    bit  —  but   Bbe'l  a  fortune 

brxides.    and    evi-rybody     knows    how    much     that     makes    in    the 

in    >ho\\ini:    where    beauty   lie<.      After    all.    the  eoimnandant 

knowx  -  no    «uie     betti-r  —  that     it     i-n't     \\liat     beaui.  but 

what  it  can  do  — what   it    can    buy    or   what    it    can    bl  it  U 

is    moxt    valued    and     valuable.      Yes.    you    may    put     it     <lo\\: 

certain    thai    Moll's    HOM-    i>    for«-ver  out    of    joint    in   that  quarter." 

Good    Mr-.    Smith    had    not  d     to 

that,    while    she    wa-    making    this    n 
the    subject    of    it  ing  directly   b.  hind   her.  and  must    i 

My     syllable.         The      C\e      of       Moll       II  -i.       her 

lips    <  in  led     -Aith     prid<'.     and    her    bn.w    darkened,    ami    she     inly 
;\ed.  from    that    moment,    that    -he    would   allow    no   longer    ll- 
tritlin-r   of    her    lOTOT.      >h<     would   no  Ion-,  r  |H  i  mil 

,,f  ;:     |  :..n_.riMu'  to  inch  a  conquest   M  benelf,  \\itin.ut 

ing    the    proper    prk»    f-.r    it.      //'    sl,,,uM   submit    to  v, 
bonds    which    the    worM    a— uim-.l    him     to     possess    the     ; 
place    on    /"/•    hands    at    any    moment.     She    disdained    !••    li-i-1 
the    farth.-r    OOOTVMlion    ainonir     the    Smiths    and     their    roinpaii 
ions,    but    s\\ept    out    of    hearini:    as   rapidl-  ^ith 

her    pride    and    di-nity.      lb-  -nation   of    tin 

lire. 

\.    fa  jon    comp-irini:    with    our     Moll     in     beauty, 

that's     all    a    mistake."     -aid      M  '      a    -pinM.  r     who     hud 


'.'-.'•*  KATHAKIXi:   W  A  I   !n\. 

become  an  antique  without  arrivim:  at  tin-  condition  of  a 
"I've  seen  this  Walton.  She's  quite  loo  laruv  for  beauty  — 
IHT  features  are  all  biu' ;  it  is  true  they  are  somewhat  cxprcs 
rfve;  'nil  no  more  to  compare  with  Harvey's  than  mine  with 
Juno's." 

"  You've  certainly  -one  to  sutlicient  extremes  for  a  compar 
ison,  my  dear  Mi-<s  Calvert,"  put  in  .Major  Harry,  who  at  this 
moment  joined  the  in'oup,  followed  liy  his  eternal  shadow 
Captain  M'Mahon.  Harry  bowed  and  smiled  the  compliment, 
which  his  words  did  not  convey.  Mis-  ( 'alvert's  cars  were  thus 
tauirht  to  deceive  her.  She  smiled  in  turn,  and  immediately 
responded  to  the  dextrous  little  wit  —  the  wit,  j»>r  <  of  the 

HrilNi  garrison. 

"  Now.  don't  you  arrive  with  me,    Harry  Harry  ':  " 

"  There  is,  perhaps,  but  a  single  raped  in  which  we  should  not 

.    Mi  —   (  '.-li' 

"  And.  pray,  what  i<  the  exception  '.'"  demanded  the  lady  with 
some  little  pique  of  manner. 

,y,  nay."  lie  answered  slyly,  "that  confession  must  he 
•  1  fora  le<s  public  occasion.  You  were  xp»-akini_r  of  Mi-s 
Walt,  ni's  beauty,  and  that  of  our  Harvey.  You  are  quite  ri-ht 
about  the  former.  She  is  larue.  but  perhaps  not  too  lai 
her  peculiar  -tyle.  She  is  evidently  a  line  woman  — a  ma.ir- 
nilienit  woman,  indeed— and,  if  to  be  styled  a  beauty,  we  m.-iy 
style  her  an  ani^el  of  a  beauty  ;  but  Moll  Harvey  is  a  love  of  a 
beauty,  ami  is  M>  much  the  more  to  my  liking." 

•  1  knew  we  should  agree,"  -.iid    Mi<s   culvert,    triumphantly, 

and  llattered,    she    knew    not    well    why 

"Ah!"  put  in  Captain  M'Mahon,  "Mi^s  \\';dton  is  certainly 
a  line  woman,  a  real  lady,  and  a  beauty  too.  My  friend  Harry 
and  myself  ca!l<-d  up«ui  her  yesterdny,  and,  after  a  dose  discus 
MOII,  we  fully  concurred  in  respect  Vo  her  points." 

.d.     MM.-ihon,"    cried    Major    Stock,    "you    >pc;d\    of    the 
lady  as  if   \  ou    had    trotted    her  out   and   scrulini/.ed     her    with   the 

e\e  of  a  Jockey." 

"Whmtl    doei     M'Mahon's    pun   escape  you  7 "  cried    K'irkwo(,d. 

"  Do  you    !o]Lr(.|    th;r  hi-   word    for  ,•/////,//•/*.      His   ima-e 

d;en    lj'om    the   whist    tal)le,    not     from    the    stables.      He    ua-, 


[IONABLE    SO<  IETI     t» 

thinking  of  the  la<!  .M-M  In-  di-cu-- •  il  in  r  II 

of  beauty     -like  that  of   m<»t   of   ;.  '  m-t 

IK-  Imilt   ujMin   po-ilive   r-  in   :i 

pri\ate  bureau  as  in  an  army  <  h 

••  1'   faitli.  my  friend    M'Mahon   i-  no  more   prepared  to  deny  tho 
impeachment  than  mj      U       The  fart  N.  a  mere  l.eauty,  li..\\e\er 
l)eautifill.  is  ipjilr   beyond    the   means  of   any  of   UN.      I-'or   m\M-lf.  I 
confe-s  to  a  preference  for   Moll    Harvey.  j>,  r  ie;    the  beauty  <>! 
Walton  is(|iii:<  mmandinLT  f<>r  me.      It    half  . 

and  .-verpouers  me.     Still,  the  .//•.'/'/ i/ti  ntnm  r.-llswm- 

derfnlly  in  her  In-half." 

"Ah.  mv  friend  Major  Uarry  always  di-erimii,aie-  the  |K'int 
nio>t  admirably.  You  iim>t  let  me  n-|«-af  hi^  impromptu, 
made  this  mornini:  as  we  left  the  hai:  on  this  \ 

,,   now   M'Mahon.   my  <lear  fellow,   hoii.>r  bridil1"  and  the 
deft  and  tidy  little  major  alTeeted  to  be  horn. r  stricken  at  the  tlr 

exposure,    while  his   littli-  eyes   twinkled    with    his  anticii 
triumph. 

>!i.  but   I  m\l<\  repeat.    I'>a: 

;:  by  all   means.      Come.  Harry.  Ihi-  alTeetati-.n 
of  moilcMy  «TOn*l  -1".      You  have  not  a  -in-le  article  in  all  your  v. 

robe  thai  :iy  'MMIM  you." 

11  Whai!  you  out  upon  m 

•    I    \\ould    >av«-    you    from    yoiir-elf.    my    boy.    and 
own    ranlUes,    \\hich    \\ill   surely    be   your  death    the   ir,niiu-nt 
assume   tin-   -how    ..I'   mcdi^y.      We   have   recM-ni/ed   you,    by    . 
m..::  the   \\it    and    poel    "f    UM  FoU    have    :' 

:i   thousand   -hafts  of   satire   at   the   ]*»•'.' 

and    we    ha\e    applau.led    t«.    the    echo.       Shall    we    be    d.  nird 
|)rnjM-r  aliment    now?     No1    no:     Ah.   my  .: 

here     ill     sea>oll  B  \»^'\l     doill-     a     HO  r,     8» 

r.sual." 

"In  verse,  of  course. 

••Are  \\,    t.,  be  denied         particularly   \vhn.  >ld   that    it 

relit.-s  to  the  ri\  tin-  IIarv«->   and  ihe  WallonV" 

'•  llo\\   can  you  compare  then, 

••  I  ,1,,  U   ;  nly.      It   k  :  ari-on  that 


KA  THAI;  INK   WAI.  TM\. 

you  arc  called  to  hear.      His  1'ricnd   M'Mahon  answers  for  it,  and  he 
is  sullicient  authority.      We  must  have  it." 

rtainly  we  muM  !  Captain  M'Mahon  reads  verses  like  an 
nmrel.  I  know;  and,  as  liittfri,-n<l  wrote  them,  he  will  IK-  sine  t  .  read 
thciil  \\  ith  the  !>C'st  elTeet." 

"There's  no  resisting  that,  M'Mahon.  Conic,  dear  yoiu  throat 
and  be-in.  You  arc  as  lonu;  in  .irettin^-  ready  as  was  ilu.  inspired 
beast  that  waited  for  the  blows  of  Balaam." 

"What  beast  was  that,  Major  Stock?"  was  .M'.Mahon  ,j  innocent 
inquiry. 

"Oh,  one  whose  voice  was  that  of  an  an-cl,  so  th\t  the  compari 
son    need    not    irive  you   any   shock.     Come,  the   ladies   w-'it. 
lively.  Mrs.  Iiivin.u'ton.  I   never  saw  so  much  anxiety  in  any  c<.  mtc- 
nance  as   in  yours.      How  any  <:enileman   should   tartali/.e  a   lady's 
curiosity  to  such  a  de-ree  is  astonishing:" 

"If  my  friend,  Major  Barry,  will  only  consent,"  said   M'Mahon. 

"I  won':  stav  to  listen,  M'.Mahon,"  cried  Marry,  trotting  out  of 
the  circle,  but  immediately  pa^-ini:  to  its  rear,  \\here  his  short  ])crs..n 
mii:-ht  remain  unsuspected;  his  ears,  meanwhile,  drinking  in  the 
precious  streams  of  his  own  inspiration. 

Thus  permitted,  as  it  were-,  M'.Mahon,  the  center  of  a  <rroup  which 
had  so  ^really  increa-ed,  placed  himself  in  a  still',  schoolboy  attitude, 
and,  thrice  hemming,  extended  his  hand  and  arm,  in  a  preparatory 
ire-tmv.  as  if  about  to  dm-'  the  pleiades  from  their  place  of  shining. 
The  painful  parturition  of  his  lips  foll.med.  and  the  mouse  like  mon 
ster  of  an  epi-ram  came  forth,  head  and  tail  complete;  and  this  its 
substance. 

.]/•  M-iJioh 


"  When  l...iuite..ii<  Fat.-  decreed  <>m-  llarvi-y's  liirth, 
\\'e  li  ll  that  heaven  im-lit  yet  lie  I'liiiinl  on  earth; 

But  when  the  Wftlton  to  oui  i\-en, 

U'e  knew  that  man  ini-ht  \et  !><•  rai>e,l  t<>  In  a\en. 
Imlulyeiit  I'at.--.  one  lile-^injr  mure  hestuw  — 
Ci\<-  me  u  ith  liars  ey  luiiy  tu  1  1  well  beluw; 
Ami  when,  ami  la-t.  ye  summon  me  almve; 
Then  let  the  Walton  lie  my  heavenly  , 

"Bravo  I    bravo!    Harry  Marry  forever,  and  his  friend  M'Mahon!" 
cried  Major  Stock,  and  the  circle  echoed  the  appla>. 


I  \.-HION  M'.I.I:  BO  tETl    IN    '.  \  UK: 

1    he    diil  it,   my    friend    Harry."    -aid    M   Mahon.   with    the 

-implicily    of    manner — "lie  did    it    in    the    twinklin. 
nil   eye,     just    a-   we   left     the    hail.,  vrmilied    that 

it  >!n>uldn't  I't-  K'-t,  and  vent  back  and  wrote  it  down." 

•ilude    of     po-lerity.    Captain     M'M 

and     our     thanks     in     particular."    said     the    fair    liosti •.-.-    in     the 
i»t    accent-,    and    \vit!i  a  smile  that  did  not   wholly  conceal   the 
sarcnMii  in  her  thought. 

"What."    continued     M'.Mahon    in    hi-    narrative,    "could    have 
put  the  idea   into  my   friend    Harry'-  head,  at   such   a  moment  1   can 
not  conjecture.       It  was  :is  much  like   inspiration  as  anythi: 
heard  of." 

"What  put  it  into  hi-  head?  Whv  the  oil.  the  powder,  the 
pomatum,  ami  that  picture  of  the  Venus  Aphrodite,  risini:  in  salTion 
from  a  -ea  of  verdLrri-.  which  lianas  up  in  the  -hop.  Hen'-  inspira 
tion  enoii<:h  for  a  wit  and  port  at  an\  ti 

"Ah1"  interposed  Harry,  now  -lyly  piv— ini:  through  the 
irroup.  "1  am  aluays  -ure  of  a  wet  hlanket  at  your  hands. 

,." 

•\\hat'     you     there'      And    you     have    heard    every    -\llaMe' 
Well,   all    I     have    to    -a\  .    Harry .    is    this,   that     . 
stand     anything    in    the    way    of    applau-e.     and    take     it    all     for 

What     further  miLrht    have    Ixcn    -aid    on    thi-    fruit: 
mu-t    l»e  left   tn  <'oi)jeeture  ;     f. >r    ju>«    at     tlii-    moment,    a   -iiiartly 
dic--ed    olliccr.  of  thirty,  in   tin-    OOBttimeof  a   major,   \\ith  a    wild, 
da-hini:    air.  and    Ion-   di-he\eled   |od  llorrid    fa. 

dark  l>l:u-  lla-hi:  netratcd  the  circli-.  with  : 

'•  I'.ivak    ..IT'      i  II     Non:  r  fun   now;     put   on 

you-  .,,„!   rehearse   f..r  ira-jeily.       I  len-'s  the  conui; 

ant  coming,  all  -torm  and  thuntler.     There's  the  devil  to  pay.  and 
no  pilch  hot." 

"Why     what'-    the      matter     now,     mad     Archy  ':"      del;. 

new  comer   wa-   fanioii-.  after  a   fashion,  in   the  cin  le.       He 

di-tin-uished  tlie 

irraleful      /."///      //,      g*errt     of     mad    or    cra/y     Camplx-ll.      To    the 

former    epithet    he    sulnnilted.     rather    pleased    than    otherwise    at 


226  KATIIAKIN  i:   WALTON, 

the  imputation.  Tin-  latter  was  commonly  used  in  regard  to  him 
when  lie  had  left  the  circle. 

"  Matter  enough  :  .Me:idn\vs  and  his  train  have  been  cut  oil 
by  Marion's  men.  Half  the  « -eort  cut  to  pieces,  and  the 
re-st  prisoners.  The  wagons  all  captured  with  all  the  Mores. 
Meadous  himselt'  is  badly  wounded,  maimed  and  disligund  for 
life— mouth  and  nose  beaten  into  one  by  the  butt  of  a  riile." 

"  Shocking  :  "  was  the  cry  among  the  ladies.  "  Poor,  poor  Char 
ley  !  what  a  fright  he  iruM  lie  !" 

"He  seems  to  have  felt  it  so;  for  so  great  was  his  fury  that, 
even  after  the  rebel  who  struck  him  was  down  —  a  monstrous 
fellow  of  twenty  stone  and  upward — Charley's  fury  never  suf 
fered  him  to  stop  hewing  at  the  fellow  till  he  had  smitten  off 
both  of  his  ears  clo.-e  to  the  skull,  giving  him  the  puritan  brand  for 
life." 

Campbell's  narration,  received  through  third  hands,  is  as  we 
•  mething  imperfect.  \Ve  are  already  in  possession  of  the 
facts. 

"  And  Hal  four  ?" 

"He  is  even  now  coming  in  this  direction,  and  in  an  awful 
fury.  I  pity  all  who  vex  him  at  this  moment.  It  will  n«  d  all 
the  smile^  of  the  fair  Harvey" — bowing  in  the  direction  of  the 
beauty,  who  had.  by  thi^  time  joined  the  group — "and  even 
ihe-t-  may  not  Millice,  unless  seconded  by  those  of  the  fair  Wal 
ton." 

At  this  open  reference  to  her  rival'<  power,  the  imperious 
beauty  bit  her  lips  with  vexation.  Her  eyes  (lashed  with  lire*  of 
scorn  she  did  not  seek  to  suppress,  and  she  turned  away  from  the 
circle  as  Ualfour  entered  the  apartment.  Hut  \\  e  need  not  linger 
for  the  tragedy.  The  farce  is  sullieient  for  our  purpo-e. 


REBEL    LADIES  OF   <  II  \  : 


t 

c  ii  A  i''!1 1:  i;    \  \  i  v. 

KI:I:I:I.   ULDIBfl  01  <  n  \  BLEfi  i 

NYr.  pass  from  if   frivolity   to  those-   ,,f  Driver 

'I'liis   i-    the  true  onlcr  of  human   events,    ami   the  traiM- 
lii'ii   i-   more   natural    from  than    the    reverse  as    they 

ha\e    il    at    the   theatp  ihe   moral   poet    orders   it.      1' 

extreme  change   1'roin    the  lively  ami  thoughtless   mornings  of  .Mrs. 
Kivinirlim.     to    the    gloomy    evenin 

the    fashionable  and     frivolous  fter    motley,    in    talk    and 
habit,    t<i   the  serious  questioner   in   the   sad    alfair    of    life    and    its 
The    t\\o     ladies,    it     n  ,id.     are     both     politi 
cians;  !>ut    of   very  different   Bel 1-.      Mr-.     Kivin^ton.   the   \\ido\v 

of  a   n>yal   ollieial.    liuds    it     pli-;i-ant     Ul  his    memory    l»y 

adherin-    to   In,  faitli.    tin-    more   esj-ei  ially   as    hi>    party     i>    in   tlic 
ascemiant.   and   I  in   the  triluites  of   a    brilliant 

in   \\hii-h   loyalty   commands  all    the    folces,      II-r    prof 
provoke   no  Mirpri-r  ainmi^  the  ^n-at     l»«.«ly    of    il  >im-c 

•••priM-ni     a    iriumphant     party  and     CMHe,     and     an-     lln-iii- 
airreeahlr    .social     triuni|ili<.      Politics,    in     ln-r    rirrlrs, 
are   not    .s(,  much    discus-id     a  !;     im-a-i;- 

inand    a    single    relliction.     thon-h    our     lady     slatc-n 
in  their  deelarati»ns  of  ti.l.lity   to    tli- 

Madam     Knlainl     and     her     amiaM' 

m  the   a!»trart   deiti.s    to    \\hieh    th-  their    una 

vailing   incciiM-.      At     '  iiiL'tou's    you     \\ill     hear    a.s    much 

-.tid    .i-aiii-t    n-lM-llioii   as   a    pr.»\  iurial    l«-yali-m.    c\.r    solicit. .u>   to 
,    \\ill    al\\  •:unl     to    sa\  ;    but     the     j.<, lilies     of    her 

circle  \\ere  not   calculated  lo   alTord   much    a»istam  c    to   the  cmin- 
i-il>    of     Uall'iiur.       >Yvi-rthcli->s.     |»  jt-<l     them. 


K  ATI  I. M;  INI:   WALTON, 

They  h:id  their  uses  in  inlluencinir,  through  tlic  medium  4>f 
society,  the  moods  of  all  those  doubtful,  capricious,  and  unprin 
cipled,  of  whom,  perhaps,  lln-  greater  number  of  mankind  arc 
composed.  The  youthful  of  botb  sezefl  \\ere  always  sure  to 
lind  principles  at  Mrs.  Rivinirton's  suited  to  their  own  desires,  if  not 
to  the  necessities  of  the  race  and  family. 

The  politics  at  Mrs.  Singleton's  were  of  a  different  sort.  Hal- 
four  more  than  siispecteil  that  the  old  lady  was  eiiiraired  in  la 
bors  that  were  forbidden  ;  but  he  had  been  able  to  fasten  upon 
her  no  specific  cau-e  of  oiTenoe.  Yd  was  she  busy,  with  a  rest 
less  interest,  in  the  cau-c  of  liberty,  that  made  her  niirhts  slcep- 
:;d  tilled  her  ap-d  head  with  vexinir  thoughts  and  subtlest 
combinations.  Her  house  was  a  point  of  reunion  with  all  those 
who,  like  herself,  loni:  for  the  overthrow  of  the  exiMin^  r,'r/iine  ; 
who  yearn  for  the  return  of  exiles,  well-beloved  sons  of  the 
soil,  dear  to  their  affections,  precious  to  their  hopes,  the  kinsmen 
of  their  blood.  Hither  came,  almost  nightly,  those  favoring  the 
eau-e  of  the  patriots,  who,  by  rea-on  of  aia',  of  sex,  of  feeble- 
were  suffered  to  remain  within  the  city  of  the  conqueror. 
\Vhat  could  these  superannuated  old  men  achieve  or  attempt, 
who  mi-lit  be  seen  at  dusk,  or  after  it,  to  enter  the  doors  of  the 
old-fashioned  dwelling  in  Church  street?  How  should  Hritish 
lords  and  generals,  captains  and  men  at  arms,  apprehend  anything 
from  those  ancient  and  well-bred  la  lies,  or  tho-c  fair  and  witty 
youn^  ones  who  showed  themselves  openly  in  '!,is  much  -frequented 
domicil. 

Yet  amonir  the<e  were  many  rare  women,  such  as  would  have 
iriven  strength  to  the  (lirondins.  and  armed  them  more  ably  for 
the  work  of  their  own  and  their  country's  safely.  Mix  (Iciieral 
(Jadsden,  \\ho-e  stately  pride  defied  the  slice  r  of  the  willing 
Harry;  the  tierce  proud  -piriS  d  M  B  and  Mrs.  Tar- 

son-,  wliom  the  same  wit  disci  ibid  dy  queens,  so  noble 

was  their  spirit,  and  so  well  prepared  for  the  extreme-^  p.-rils  of 
liumanity.  The  names  of  l-idward-,  H.-n-y.  and  I-Yp_ru-on,  high 
ly  and  equally  endowed  with  ^raee  and  coiiraire  ;  of  I'inckney 
and  the  KlliotK  n.-mn-s  immemorially  allied  with  di.irnity  and 
patriotism;  Ihese  were  all  to  be  found  regular  attendants  at,  the 
'  e\  eniM.ir* "  of  Mr-.  Jsn;j-leton.  And  tln-c  BVCQiogfl  were  ii(»t 


HBBBL    I.U'N  -   01   '  SABLESTOK. 


•M    in    ploa-ure.   as    were    the   mornini:*   "f   tin-  da-him: 
Ki\iimton.     (,i;i\.  .  eupied    l  .    \\,.rk    wtt  i 

done  under  council  of  »tudiou-  and   far  -eeim:  heads.     Their  v 
went  forth   from  the  city  with  siirnilii  anee  tn   the   remote   interior, 
and  were  frequently  followed  by  lar-e  iv.-ulN.     Th-  •;.  ;  and 

'hey    conveyed   int.!: 

times  money,  and  sometimes  ammunition  —  shot  ami  powder  —  to 
their  brethn  n  in  arms  They  devi-ed  schemes  by  \\hiclitorelievc 
the  city  from  its  thraldom.  In  brief,  the  dwelling  «'f  which 
Katharine  Walton  had  become  an  inmate,  wa-  the  place  of  fre- 
((tient  av^-mblaire  for  a  very  active  and  sleepless  circle  of  con- 
,-pira; 

:-al    of    th  nt   with    Mr-.    Singleton    and 

arine    Walton,    on    the    evening    of    the    day    di-tini:ui-hcd    by    the 

,in^  of  the  fashionable   "  morning-  "   of   Mrs.    Hivimrton.      From 

without,  >ilence  and  darknos  seemed  to  brood  over  tin-  habitation  ; 

lint  there  \\a<  an  inner  Foom,  well   lighted,  around  the  center  table 

of  \\hichini.irht   be  :-u|>  of  bead-  which  would  have  been 

held  remarkable  in  any  council  or  a—  embly.     That  of  the  venerable 

>inulei..;i  was  ii-i  It   a  -ludy.      Her  thin,  attenuated   \ixairewas 

•.led  by  a  noble  forehead,  which  the  few  -May  irray   hairs  alnuit 

h<  r   templit,  and    tb€    -ombre   wid<>\\'-    cap    which    -he    u  ,  ,i  e,  rat  her 

tended  t<  •  ennoble  than  di-para-e.      Ibr  U.  en,  -ray  e\e  and  cl 

conipre--ed  lips  denot«l   viirilane.-,  coura-e.  ami  <  ircum-peetion.      It 

had  all  t!  \oiith,  burning:,  seemin-jly.  with  as  much  \iiroras 

the  heart  of  the  volcano*:  still  active-,  though  in   the  IKKSOID  of 

Katharine    sat    be-ide    h<  i\     O!,M  rver.  and    mostly    a  »{- 

lent   one,   of    the  i:roup  and    the  -ubjeets  which    it    di-«  u--i  d.      nld 

Tom    Sin-h-ii'ii.    the    \\it    and    hutiK.n  ~tood 

up    in  t!:.  hat     in     hand,    pivparim:    to    depart.      We    shall 

k    of    him    more    fully    hereafter.      Uehind    him  sto,Kl    u    l>oy, 

p  featured    and    intelliur''nt  .    of    whom    tin-    parties   spoke  some- 

tiliu  -  '  .liil    .sometime-    a-     Spidell,     the     lad    beiiii;    after 

wards     \\ell     known     by     the     peopie     .-f    Chariest..  n.     by    the    tWO 

names    combined,     as    a    worthy    and 

ried   on    hi-   arm   a   I»a-U«t.   which    the    ladi.  :i   fllliii.ir    \\ith 

,    hue-,    linen-,    and    other    small    articles   of   dre-s,    doigncd 


^:jo  KATHAKIM:  \v  UTON. 

for  a  peddling  expedition.  At  the  bottom  of  the  basket,  how 
ever,  might  have  Itccn  found  one  or  mere  packets,  cleverly  done  up, 
and  looking  very  innocently  upon  the  outside,  which  :i  very  quick- 
sighled  royalist  might  have  found  to  contain  any  quantity  of 
treasonable  matter. 

The  youth  of  the  lad,  and  the  seeming  openness  of  hi-  oper 
ations,  however,  were  calculated  to  disarm  suspicion.  Q 
Spidcll,  in  fact,  was  under  the  active  superintendence  of  .b»-liua 
Lockwood,  one  of  the  conspirators  of  the  circle,  employed  con 
stantly  as  a  sort  of  supercargo  in  a  large  f>«  ri'if/mi.  which  was 
busily  engag<  d  in  plying  between  the  city  and  all  the  landings  and 
inlets  alniig  shore  to  the  Santee  river.  Stopping  at  certain  well- 
known  points,  (Jeorge  was  smt  ashore  with  his  basket  in  search 
of  customers;  but  it  was  always  understood  that  his  visit  was 
first  to  be  paid  to  certain  well-known  dwellings.  Here  it  was 
that  the  secret  package  at  the  bottom  .if  his  basket  was  invariably 
sought  out  and  selected;  and  in  this  manner,  Marion  and  Ilorry. 
and  Maham,  and  others  of  the  partisan  c.iptains,  contrived  to 
receive  weeklv  information  of  the-  condition  of  affairs  in  the 
citv.  Lookwood,  the  principal  in  the-e  expedition-,  and  little 
B,  his  subordinate.  sulVered  some  narrow  escapes  in  these 
innocent  expeditions.  But  these  must  not  beguile  us  into  further 
digression. 

"Let  us  be  oil'.  Lockwook,"  said  old  Tom  Singleton;  "we  shall 
have  little  time  to  spare.  The  tide  will  serve  at  daylight,  and 
George  must  have  some  sleep  before  he  starts." 

"He needs  it,  and  deaervei  it,"  said  the  hostess,  kindly,  looking 

at  the  bov.      "  Hut  have  you  eaten  heartily,  my  .son  '.  " 

The  boy  glanci  d   at    the    plate,    still    remaining    on    a    side  table, 

which    exhibited    very    few    fragments,    but    enough    parhaps    for   a 

sutlicicnt  answer  to  the  question. 

"Thank  you,  ma'am,  yes,"  he  answered  ;   "and  I  have  this,  too," 

he  add- d.  >ho\\ing  a  hiiire   triangular  mass  of   cake,  which    he    had 

deported  within  his  basket.     The  party  smiled. 

to  seldom  »/ his  food"  said  Lockwood,  "  pursuing  such 

a  pleasant  life." 

"And    he    has    learned   one   ,,f    the    b&A    I«SOO»,M   said   old    Tmn 

Singleton;      "that     of     making    pTOVliloni     for    the    morrow,     the 


Ki.r.n.    LAD  ffARLBSTOH, 


Irttte  which  distinguishes  t]l(.  \\  j>e  man  from  tin-  f.».l.  Let 
us  practice  a  littlr  upon  this  les-on  ounelveB.  It  is  understood  that 
nothing  more  remains  to  communicate  to  our  friends,  ^ 

••T  - 

Singleton  paused.  his  glance  fixing  upon  one  of  the  gentlemen  of 
rho  had  hitherto  been  fUent.     All*.  •  urned  upon 

:-son  with  an  expression  of  deference  and  esteem.  This  was 
the  celebrated  Daviil  Ramsay,  one  of  the  tiiM  historians  of  the  coun 
try,  and  a  physician  of  high  distinction.  Ilr  WBS  then  in  the  prime 
of  manhood,  and  in  the  full  vigor  of  his  intellect.  In  person  he  \vas 
about  live  feet  ten,  healthy  and  somewhat  athletic,  luit  not  stout. 

intenance  \\  as  liy  no  means  a  handsome  one.  but  i' 
unpleasing  one.      A  blemish  in  one<.f  his  eye*,  from  small-pox,  gave 
a  slj-ht  obliquity  to   ]  'mt    the  entire  cliaracter  of  t!. 

was  impressive  and  >.iim-wliat  prepossessing.  An  earnest  relleetion 
and  cool,  intrepid  judgment,  \\cre  clearly  shown  in  the 

•iiitenance    and    HP  nd    alnioM     impetuous    manner. 

His    uttera:  \ehcinent    and    rapid,    but    alwa\<    clear    and 

intelligible.       Thus     addn--ed     by     Sin-leton.     his     aii-\\<r      \\;LS 

prompt. 

peeking    of    Williamson.       What    y«.u    hear    is    n<. 

doubt     true.        His    viiuation    is    precisely     as    i-    d«-.  ribed  ;     and. 

doubtle.ss.    !„•     never     really    intended     t..    b.tr.iy  his    country    or 

f.      He     \\as     only     •  .     t..    be    i  'a    mommt 

.:  eMernal  pres«.ur.-.      lb     h:^    sluvudn.  to    -«  •«•   that 

his  future    sjtu.-ition    is  unpromising,  and    fores^l;'  to  di<- 

her   own    i  :     must 

now    leaily    rely    on    ours,  if   she    hop,  s    to    «  •••ntinin-    llic  \\a: 
tin-  partisan  \\arfaiv    ha-   put    an   end   to    this   hope  with  all  i 
Of  sagacity.     The    partisans    nm-t    inen-ase    in    number   dail> 
their    fn-queiit    .small    successes  will    more    than    avail    in    ke«  piiiLT 
up    the    popular   com  :ial    large  \ictoriesof 

the  British  re-ulai-.  N"U  I  t.iUe  t-r  ::ranted.  from  all  I  know 
of  the  man.  that  this  pn,*|,,-ct  has  be.  n  fully  ; 

It    will    become    more    and    more    evident    with 

Hut  is  this  a  reason  that  we  should  trust  him  with  ourselves  or 
with  our  MCreU,  particularly  a<  he  has  not  yd  >,,  far  committed 
himself  to  us  as  to  give  us  an  M  him?  I  -up 


232  K  ATI  1  A  HIM:   WALTON, 

pose  that  Colonel  Singleton  is  in  possession  of  a  certain  amount 
of  proof  —  that  Williamson  lias,  in  tart,  given  pledges  of  returning 
fidelity  ;  but  of  the  character  of  this  proof  and  these  pledges 
we  know  nothing;  and  they  may  be  such  as  an  adroit  P.TM.M 
might  readily  explain  away.  I  am  of  opinion  that  we  should, 
at  present,  make  no  use  of  this  information.  We  should  watch 
him,  and  when  he  can  clearly  MTYC  us  in  any  important  matter, 
it  will  then  be  time  enough  to  let  him  understand  that  we  an-  in  the 
same  vessel  with  himself;  but,  with  my  consent,  not  a  syllable 
before." 

'  "  You  are  right,  doctor.  Once  a  traitor,  always  a  traitor.  He 
may  be  useful — irmibl  be  useful,  if  he  could  be  true;  if  treach 
erous,  he  might  sink  our  v«  ssel  in  the  moment  when  th- 
was  most  prosperous,  and  when  we  ore  most  richly  freighted. 
Let  Robert  Singleton  manage  the  matter  witli  him  A\  holly,  he 
has  coolness  and  sagacity  enough  for  any  purpose;  and  there 
seems  to  be  no  reason  that  we  .should  mix  in  this  bu>in< 
all  events,  not  for  the  present.  1  confers  that,  to  have  any  com 
munion  with  Williamson  at  all.  suggests  to  me  the  idea  of  that 
unhappy  conference  —  the  tirst  on  record —  which  our  excellent,  but 
too  accessible  grandmother  had  in  Kden  with  the  great  sin- of  all 
the  snakes  ! " 

A  laugh  rewarded  \\\\<  speech,  the  sentiment  of  which  \\as 
generally  echoed  by  the  company.  The  >.peaker  was  a  lovely 
and  spirited  woman,  the  fairest  among  the  Carolina  rebels,  the 
wittv,  wealthy  and  accomplished  widow  of  Miles  Un-wton 
The  father  of  this  lady,  Kdwanl  Weym.-m.  \\as  among  the  tirst 
of  the  Carolina  patriots  to  declare  himself  under  "Liberty  Tree  ' 
in  17(50.  She  inherited  his  patriotism;  and  Mary  \\ 
was,  by  training  and  education.  \\ell  fitted  to  ben. me  the  wife  of 
Hrewton,  who  was  as  stremu>u<  in  support  of  the  revolutionary 
argument  as  ever  was  his  lather  in  law.  Uy  marriage  with  this 
gentleman  she  became  strengthened  in  her  attachment  to  the 
cause.  Her  associations  rendered  it  the  prevailing  sentiment  of 
the  household.  Her  husband  was  brother  to  the  eelehrated  Ke 
becca  Motte,  and  uncle  of  Mrs.  Thomas  Pinckiiey  ;  and  their 
decided  sentiments  in  In-half  of  \}\c //><>» <•</,«/<(  party  in  America. 
even  if  her  own  had  been  inactive,  would  have  MiHieed  to 


EtBBEI    i  LD1 

determine  hers.  I.ut  then-  needed  nothing  beyond  lirr  early  train- 
MILT  to  briiiLT  about  this  result.  >he  was  \\»l  only  :i  warm  patriot, 
hut  a  thoughtful  anil  a  \\ilty  one.  \\'liile  (.l.-ervin^  the  utmost 
ind  delicacy  in  her  deportment  in  the  society  of  Briti-h  and 
loyalists,  not  withholding  herself  from  llieni — polite  and  even 
SOCUble  With  both  — lfa«  Wftfl  yd  capable  of  uttcrini;  the  mo-1 
and  bi:  ins  with  the  most  happy  dexterity.  Her  mind  was 

frc-h.  sparklim:  and  original  ;  her  manners  e.|iially  graceful  and 
lively  ;  and  she  brought  to  the  luisiness  of  eon-piracy  a  >Iin-wdnrss 
and  depth  of  opinion  which  appcan-d  somewhat  tDOmaloUB,  thoogfa 
never  nnliec ominLT  or  out  of  place,  in  union  with  her  pleasant  wit 
ami  Mirpa>-i!iir  beauty. 

"Why,     Hrewton,"    said      old    Tom    Singleton,   playfully, 

with    .-insular     tVelin-:    of    your     venerable     grandmother's 
Ifl    if,    indeed,    you     had    mne    pt  r-onal    <  au-e    of    com 
plaint." 

"Ami    have     I    not?     I-    it    not    sullicient   reason   for  complaint 

that     her    weakness    should    have  left    u^  perpetually  subject  to  the 

If    of    your    pi'^iife'  in   which,    thouirh    you  always 

play   the  snake,  you    still  (  lnickle  at  your  capacity  to  take  advantage 

of  the  woman 

••  Well,  the    VMM    na-on    for    your   dis,  ,,n!, nt   still    remai 

n,"  said  the  other. 
'•  Ah.  what  is  tl.a: 

lily,  that    your  complaints   avail   you    nothing,  nor  your   re- 
solves  (  iiher  :   riDOe  you  only  murmur  against  a   fate." 

\\hich   means   that,  doomed   to  a  connection   withy 

iiist   the  snake  tindini:  its  way  into  our -ardeii. 
I   siipp..*e   I  i-  no  reason  that 

uld    not    bruise    his   head    \\itli    the   hoe   \\hei  • 
him.      In    li  efOTC   M-.  Uni.wini:   the    ivpiilr.  it   is  ULM 

shall  keep  him  nt  a  di 

do  admit  him,  that  \\e  >hoiild  !',r-t  I.e  «  aieful  to  srt-  that  i 
drawn." 

"I    am    afraid."    -aid    Sin-leton.    "if  V«MI  do  that   you    deprive 
him    of   all    power   of    u>.  fuln-  'iss    the 

matter    further.      It    \\ill    !»«•    li-  ii    t«-    <\<>  s..  \\ln-n 

be     perfect I\     -atisiird     tliat     he    ha-    (-./-'  I,      In  the  mean* 


•I'M  KATlIARINi:    \\  Aims. 

lime,  it  is  agreed  that  we  leave  him  in  the  hands  of  Hob  Single- 
ton." 

"Ay.  ay,"  said  the  fair  widow;  "we  may  safely  do  so.  U, 
has  quite  enough  of  the  family  art  to  keep  a  menagerie,  yet  never 
fear  the  fani>  ,,r  claws  of  its  In 

The  allusion  was  to  a  private  .collet-lion  ,,f  beasts,  birds  and 
reptiles,  which  old  Tom  Singh-ton  kept  for  his  own  amusement. 

"Ah!"  said  the  latter  who  found  something  grateful  in  the 
allusion — "ah,  lirewton,  liy  the  way.  you  are  yet  to  make  the 
acquaintance  of  my  juveniles.  I  have  added  to  my  collection. 
I  have  a  llawdon  and  a  I>alfotir  ;  a  young  1'ruin  from  I'un- 
comhe,  one  of  the  most  surly  <>f  dignitaries,  brown  and  bigoted  ; 
and  a  Mirpri>ing  dexterous  monkey  from  Yucatan,  who  is  a  per 
fect  model  of  an  appropriator.  In  a  week  I  shall  have  them 
both  in  costume,  and  you  must  conic  and  make  their  acquaint 
ance." 

"  Present  me  to  his  lordship,  at  least.  The  bear,  by  all  odds  is 
preferable  to  the  ape." 

"Look  you.  Singleton,"  said  Lock  wood,  bluntly,  "you  will 
peril  your  neck  always  upon  your  tongue.  I  pray  \»u  Mrs. 
Brewton,  say  not  a  word  further,  or  you  will  keep  Singleton 
here  all  night.  We  have  much  to  do  before  midnight,  and  old 
Tom  belongs  to  that  class  (,f  lawyers  who  prefer  to  lux-  a  case 
rather  than  a  witticism.  lie  i-  so  far  like  \oiir  own  sex  that 
a  ]-.(<\  word  with  him  at  parting  is  essential  to  his  iv-t  for  the 

night" 

"(Jood  !  very  good  '"  responded  Singleton.  "We  nuiy  now  claim 
bet \\cen  u>.  to  have  a  po\\er  like  that  of  FalstalT,  and  are  not  only 
witty  our-eh'  -.  but  the  cause  of  \\  it  in  other  persons.  Ah. 
make  your  bow  to  P.rewton.  She  has  been  to  \  oil  what  the 

that  excellent  beast   \\hich  P.alaam    knew    better    how    to    beat 

than  ride." 

"  Away  with  yOO,"  Crfed  the  widow.      "  You   are  as   inveterate  as 
an  a  urn-,  and  cau>e  ^haking  side^   \\herever  you  come.      Hem  • 
<  .  before  we  ha\e  another  lit." 

'l'l'«-  party  \\cre  |ireparing  to  leave  old  Sin-1.  Ion.  at  least, 
with  I.orKwood  and  Ma^li-r  GteorgC  Spidell,  \\lio  by  this  time, 
had  begtUI  tO  mimch  UpOD  the  anglr>  ol  his  three  ••oi-m-rcd  cake; 


Ki:r.i:i.   i.  LDIE8  <T  «  IIA  i;i.i>  i 
but,  :it  this  v.-ry  moment,  the  tn.ttiiiLT  of  b  audible  fr..in  the 

"II.  :  Mr-.  Singleton.  "  they  :i]>|>r<ia<  h." 

Tin-  sounds  ceased  at   the  entrance,  and   the  company  r.«-e  in  prep- 

arution,    if   not   in    apjM-eh<-n^ion.       Fretjuent    experience    had    made 

tin-in  insiim-tiv.  ma  «>f  dan 

i   can    in't  ^o   forth   now."  >aiil   Mrs.    Singleton,    "and    must 

steal  to  your  hiding-places.      \\Yaretoi..  : 

Tom.  and    Mr.   Lm-ku i.   had    better  take   the   back-door  into  the 

garden,   while  you.  doctor  and    Master   (Ieor-_re   \\ill   jilea -e   -tep  u]> 
stairs.      Take  the  ba-k«  I  u  ilh  you.  <• 

A  heavy  rat>  at    tl:e  knocker,  and    the  parlies   thus   addressed   hur 
ried  instantly  out  of   si^lit.   aeeordinur    to   the  Lriven   direetic; 
another  moment,  the  doors   were  opened,  and   the    ttritNi   colonels 
Halfoiirand  ( 'ruden.  \vereann<.unc.d- 


KATH  \  KIM:    WALTON. 


CHAPTER  XX  \. 

SHAFTS   AT   RANDOM. 

KATHAKIM:  WALTON  would  have  left  the  room  when  these  per 
sons  were  announced,  hut  Mrs.  Singleton  arrested  her.  Policy  was 
in  conflict  with  good  taste  at  present. 

••You  must  remain,  Kate;  it  is  a  necessary  nnleal.  Have 
patience.  We  must  submit  with  a  good  grace  where  resistance  is 
without  profit.  Let  u<  conciliate  those  whom  we  can  not  defy." 

She  was  prevented,  hy  tlie  entrance  of  their  guests,  from  further 
remarks  of  this  nature.  The  ladies  all  had  resumed  their  scats 
the  appearaince  of  their  visiters.  Some  were  busy  in  needle 
work  ;  one  appeared  to  have  been  reading,  her  linger  resting  be 
tween  the  leaves  of  a  volume  that  she  held  in  her  hand.  The  fair 
widow  lirewtoii,  alone  seemed  to  he  unem'ployed.  as.  perhaps, 
her  nmre  natural  r>>/i  lay  rather  at  the  tongue's,  than  the  lingers' 
end.  She  occupied  a  venerable  arm-chair,  which  mi-'ht  have 
dated  from  the  time  of  (Jueen  Kli/aheth.  In  this  she  reclined 
rather  than  sat,  the  capacious  seat  giving  full  scope  to  her 
form,  which  was  seen  to  the  very  best  advantage.  Thus  reclined, 
witli  her  head  leaning  over  the  side  of  the  chair,  rather  than 
against  its  ba--k.  an  arch  smile  playing  on  her  features,  and  a 
world  of  mischief,  concentrated  and  bright,  looking  forth  from 

the     half -*hlll    eye,    she     encountered     tile    lilM     glance    of     the    P.riiish 

dignitaries. 

P.alfoiir's  hurried   look  around   him  look  in  the  whole  assembly 

at    the  entrance  of  the  two  —  "  lir<;,<l,s  ,< 

and  welcomed  them  to  seats  with  a  stately  grace  and  a  cold  dig 
nity  that  made  itself  felt,  yet  left  nothing  which  could  be  c..m- 
plained  of.  Salutations  were  BOOO  exchanged  between  the  par- 


BHAFN    \T    i:  \\hn\t. 

Balfour  was  quite  amhitious  ,,f    tin-  !«•    <-asyf 

well  hred     gentleman,      lie    aimed     at     tha'     pleasant    exhibitio: 
Juint    t»n    which   never   forgets  to   BlKP  -  iou-ne-s   of   sui*'- 

riority. 

••Mr      -  11,  I    am   -lad   I  I  looking  ><>   "''H-      Wh«-n 

h:ul  the    plea>ure    of     ealliliiT.     YOU    were    complaining.        YOU 

must     -ive    me    <  redit  for    ma-nanimity,    my    dear    madam,    -ince 

Miiirht    well    be    out    of   humor    with    one   who    ha-  a    kinsman 

who   proves  so  troul.le-ome    to   us.       I    take   for   -ranted  that   \  ou 

are    aware    of    tin-  recent    perf.. nuance-    of   Mr.    Rob  :""• 

>iM   wish,    for  your  sake,    madam,    if    not    his  own,    that    thU 

youiii:  man  had  not    so  deeply    involved   himself,      lam   afraid   that 

I,,-!.  ;hat  limit   when  it  would    have  ln-rn   the  iilea-ure.   no 

less  than  policy,  of    his  maj.-ty   to  li,,ld   out    to   him   the  h-.p, 

men 

I  ,!four ;    hut    1    doul.t    if  1: 

leton   \\ill   easily    l.e    p<  r-ua.led  that  lhi>  1.....U  i- 
his  happi: 

••  Ah,  my  dear  madam,  do  I    lind  you  Mill  i:ir..rrii:ilil«'  ?  " 

..f  priiH'iple  and  feelini:  i^not  euf.      \  «-u 
wil!  for  tlie  frankness  which  ha- never,  from   the 

•  mpl.d  an\  di-u'ui-e  of  >«  ntimeiit." 

••  1    n-irret     to    make  the    couci  —  ioii.    madam.      I    -ineerely 
th.it    j,    u,  n>   oUll  rs\i  ••.       It    i-.    pethapt,    fortu- 
howrv.-r.     that    tli  --f    his    maje>ty     no 

-cii.n  in  the  ea-e  of  yur  MX.      \\  ••  IN  content  that  time  -hall  do 

•A, .,•:.       BvenU    •  •  I      ••     h  -  i  Itobk    will  'n-ili- 

,   t,,   a  condition   a-ain-t    which   \  on    .-rriiiL'ly   opp<-e  yourself  al 
pr«  -cut." 

!,-l..!i    Lowed  with   a   di-nitied    -ravity.    hut   was  -ilent. 
r.alfoiir   now     pa--ed    round    the  tal»le  and     ap;  • 
Walton. 

\  nd  liow  i-  our  fair  capti\ 

M  a  captive  should    be.  sir.      I  -krh    for  green  pn-' 
I  have  lost  my  \   •':>  >•.      1   dug  BO  ' 

\\        :  ,11  recall  it  '     \V.     1,  ,11  hear  y..u  a-ain  in  '""ill 

sunly  KXfebeOOmi    r.  ...ncilc.l  to  a  captivity  that   lirini."*  v- 
iian>hip. 


£38  KATHAIMM:   WALTON'. 

"  NYver  !  neve  '  I  :nn  not  conscious  «.('  any  better  .security  here 
than  in  Dorchester,  n«>i  •!<)  1  need  ;niy  more  loving  iruardianship  than 
that  which  1  have  always  ci,j. >ved. " 

"Ah,  I  sec  that  yen  arc  in  the  hands  of  erring  counsellors. 
I  am  afraid.  Mrs.  Hey  ward,  that  some! bin- of  this  wilfulness  is  due 
to  your  ministry.  Why  is  it  that  one  MI  capaMv  <-('  devotion  to  a 
cause  should  "et  be  p(,<«.es>ed  of  so  little  loyalty  to  her  proper 
sovereign  ?  " 

"Meanii  Lkc  Tbird,  Colonel  Balfour  ?"   replied  ihe  lady 

addressed,  a  vry   noble-looking  lady,  majestic  in  person,  and   of  sin 
gularly  tine  feat1 

"Surd; 

"  He  is  ii'»  sovereign  of  mine,  sir  !  " 

"  My    dear    madam,    will  you    never    take    warning    from    the 

"  Would  Colonel  Balfoiir  remind  me  of  the  assault  upon  my 
dwelling  by  a  ruthless  mol),  when  a  dear  sisti-r  lay  d\ip^  in  my 
arms '.'  W«.ul«l  he  force  upon  me  the  recollection  of  that  dreadful 
brutality,  which  would  have  torn  a  woman  to  pieces  because  she 
refused  to  show  pleasure  in  the  misfortunes  of  her  country?  Kcallv, 
sir.  if  this  is  the  proeev-;  by  which  my  loyalty  is  to  be  taught,  I  fear 
that  you  will  find  me  the  dullest  of  your  pupils." 

I'alfour's  ins,,]enee,  as  usual,  had  made  him  blunder.  The 
indi-iiant  feelini:  expressed  \<y  the  lady  was  too  natural  and 
proper  not  to  find  the  fulle-t  jusiilieatii.n  in  every  mind.  Mi-. 
Iley ward's  dwelling  was  a»^ailed  and  battered  by  a  mob  be- 
: '-fused  to  illuminate  in  honor  of  the  successes  of  the 
British. 

The  commandant  of  ( •liarleMnn  turned  away  in  some  cf  ihe 
other  laiIi«-N.  He  WU  s,, I,,,. what  abashed,  but  not  siluieeil. 
After  cerl a iu  speeches  meant  to  be  pdlaiit.  addn-sed  to  Mrs. 
SavaL"  M  .  Charles  Klliott.  lie  approa<-hcd  ihe  fair  widow 

n.       He   was    rather    afraid  of  the    lady,    wlx.se  n-adn 
retort,    sufl'ieii-nliy  experienced  liy  all  of  the  British  ollicci 
sort  which  enabled  her  1o   -bape  i-very   an-\-.  cr  to  a  dart ,  and  to   find, 
in  the  11)0-1    cautiously-uttered   address,  ihe   Sufficient  provocation    1<> 
a  witti. 

'    IIa\e  I  found  thee,  mine  enemy  '.'"   he  said. 


Ml  \  a  AN  DOM. 

die  replied.   •'  you   i 
la>t.    shall  I  refer  thfe  to  your  gallantry  or  sour  caution?-*- to  the 

Of  my  wen 

•  my  i>\vn,  of  OOUn   ."  he 
"  The  adim.-ion    N   an   app«  :il    to    my    magnanimity,"    said    the 

widow  ;  ••  and  yetl  ••>  h«>  ackno  "1  «•"- 

0  longer  the  riirhl  to  entertain  a  h«»-tilr  t 
He  mu-t  Mirrendcr  at  discretion  in  order  to  obtain  tin-  IMM.II  \vliieh  he. 

••  \\'li\  ,  fou  have  ahvay^  found  me  at   your  ' 

••  Yes,  but  with  the  ^piril  of  one  who  \v.-,  '  'hem 

all  the  \\hih-." 
-  \<  ; 

-d     taith     and     inn.x  .  IK-.-,    v.hieli    Im.k    upward  a l\va\ 
too    frninently    unc<uis«-imis   of    the   subtle   enemy  of    \, 

ee    no    fi-i-lin.ir    in    their    own 

I,,,,,, ,n  d    tl.ey  ar  •  t<-.»  h'fty    in    their 

to  l«.oU  Cta    «'f    s«utl\     and    contemplal i.-n.        Hut, 

when    1    >p"ke  of  the  ;     the    e\  il  "t    his 

We    an-    told    that    the    faithful    and    the    true    the    inno- 
reiit    and   l!  |  -    triumph     in     the    end.      N\ 

eimally  a»Miir«l   that   (\il    ^hall   n«-t   al\\  •:;  md  its  triumphs 

sliall    be   temp-. ran.      It     is     the   >p.-eial    -  "Hist 

labor  in  th.  U,   and   without    pr- 

.  ;ih   the   toil   and    i< 

only   to   be   mortitied    eonManily    with    th  B    \\itli 

\\hieh,    at     th.-  moment,      '  !"j      breaks 

!i     all     the     in.  : 

!,    when    I    behold     \o,,    and  \"ur    li\.-ry.     busily 

working.    «lay    and    ni-hi.    in     tnis    fulile    laln)r    against    tie 
doni    of    our    people,     I     thi'.'. 

in     tin-     ivmo'.  of     the      \\all  ;      ami     I 

moment     for    the    :ipproa«  h      of     Molly      with     the 
m.  " 

irp.  piereinj.  nn-l  inttini:  as  , 

"  How  >hould   it   be  oil,.  .mini:,    v- 

the  h.  I"'"   tla> 

in>trument  which  shall  finally  M-parat«.  it   in  H 


V  In  K  \T1!.\  Kl  N  !•:    \V.\  l.TON. 

"  Nay  j  your  metaphor  halts.  The  stone  may  suffer  abrasion  and 
diminution  from  wear  ;  but  to  be  cut  in  twain  by  the  knife  it  sharp 
en^ —  lie  paused. 

"  I  suppose  I  mu-t  not  complain  tliat  a  soldier  in  the  service  of 
such  a  prim  G  _e  of  Hanover  dm  s  not  leadily  recall  the  les 

sons  of  history.     My  metaphor  lacks   nothing.     My  allusion   \\as  to 
jeoflhe  Iloman  augur,  Accius  Xa^vius.     Your  Livy  will  tell 
you  all  the 

••  Y.-u  gain  nothing,  Fialfour,"  said  Oruden,  sulkily,  "  in  a  conflict 
with  Mrs.  Urewton." 

"Oh.  yes!  I  trust  that  both  of  you  gain  in  proportion  to  your 
I  shall  suppose  thai  to  be  far  greater  than  I  even  regard 
it  now,  if,  indeed,  you  do  not  profit  in  one  respect.  He  who  carries 
a  weapon  that  he  knows  not  well  how  to  use,  or  encounters  volun 
tarily  with  an  enemy  whom  he  can  not  overcome,  is  in  a  bad  way, 
indeed,  if  he  does  not  acquire  some  lessons  of  humility  at  least  from 
such  experi 

"  Wisely  said,  that,  Cruden.  Hut,  of  a  truth,  we  must,  In  some 
wav,  overcome  an  enemy  so  formidable  a.s  Mr-.  I'.rewton.  We 
must  do  this  by  love,  by  service,  by  devotion,  such  as  the  CttV- 
:dier>  of  the  Middle  id  to  their  chosen  mistresses.  We 

must  woo  and  win.  if  we  can,  where  we  can  not  overthrow.  How- 
shall  we  do  thK  Mrs.  IJrewlon  ?  You  are  surely  no!  insensible  to 
the  reputation  you  would  enjoy,  and  the  good  that  you  would 
do.  in  making  us  worthy  of  your  affections  rather  than  your 
hoetilil 

"  Ala<,  >\v  !  If  it  be  not  a  sin  to  venture  any  opinion  a^  to  (Jod's 
hidden  providence,  1  should  say  that  lie  must  find  it  easier  to  make 
a  thousand  new  generations  than  to  mend  an  old  one.  You  must  be 
born  again,  before  anything  can  be  done  with  you;  and  the  fear  is 
that,  even  then,  the  second  childhood  will  find  you  quite  as  prone  to 
pcm-r-ion  as  the  fiist." 

"  Mr--.  IJrewton.  \ou  are  incorrigi! 

ir ;  and  if  it  be  a  proof  that  I  am  incor 
rigible,  that  I  refu-e  to  submit  to  any   but    proper  authority,  I  bless 
that  he  has  endowed   me  with  this  quality  '  " 

"  You  gut  my  invitation  '.' "  a.-ked  Cruden,  abruptly. 

"  Fe§,  I  did  ;  this   morning." 


Ml  kFTB     AT 

"  Wrll.  you  arc  not  too  unich  of  a  patriot  to  conic.  Your 
stoici-m  ami  .-atire  will  hardly  rcvr.lt  at  -rood  fellow -hip  V  " 

••Surely  not.  Hut  I  ,-hould  accept  your  invitation  fiv.m  quite 
another  motive." 

••  Ah.  indeed  1     And  pray  what  i-  that  ?" 

•rioti-m    is    a    gloomy    virtue    JIM    now.    and    satire,    in    her 

:i  provocation.      I  -hall  p>  to  your-  in  n-arch  of  it 

all  medicines.  I  timl   the  in.)-t    perfect    in   l.rini:   able  to  lau-h  at  the 
follies  of  mine  enemy. " 

'•  Wrll  "  said  Crudcn,  doi^edly.  "I  don't  care  on  what  footing 
you  put  it,  so  you  come.  I  should  rather  you  should  laui:h  at  us 
than  he  denied  the  plca-uiv  of  i  lau-h  at  all." 

l  improve   decidedly    in    voice.  (,s    the   foi    -aid    to    the- 
Wh,  !.      I  shall    surely  look  in  upon  you;    l.ut  I 

warn    \  ou    to   do   your    hands.. mcst.      In    t-nti  rim:    the    h 
occupy.  1   shrill  In-  n-minded  of  many  a   pi. 

in  tin-  circle  of  Cob-worth  I'inckney  ;  and  thoii-h  I  can  .-canvly 
t»i  tin-   Ilriiish  ollicers  in   Charl.-ston  to  supply  all  of  the 
which  made  that  circle  a  pride  and  adeli.irht,  yet.  in   merecMei: 
I  take  for  granted,  as   you   have   all    the   mean-,  you    will    D 
\our-lf  to  I.e  outdone." 

••  \Vc  -liall  «  ertainly  do  ,,iir  l'c-t   to  lind  favor  with  one  uhom  \\  i 
ire  to  \\in,"  \\a-  the  aii-wcr.  \\ilh  :i  IH.W. 

In  regard  t-.  this  appoint  :  uden  had  already   ' 

in-,  though   in    under  ton.-.  \\  iih    Katharine   Walton.      Hal  four  n«w 
ma.le  it  llie  sub].  M'K  to  her. 

•    We    -hall    have   the   pl<  a-ure   of  NV;l1 

ton.      Y..U   mu-t    not   -utT.'r  \..ur-elf   to  adopt   this  unp-nia!   humor 
,,f     ,  i     woiilil     prefer    that    you     -liould     . 

put    on    Ibfl    mocking   spirit   of    my    Iftl  '  FtOB,    and 

,„;,!.  thouirh    it    I.e  only   to   lind   .  r  sar- 

ca.-in." 

loud  Cruden    re.|uires   my   attendance,    ami    I   -ul.mit    to  his 

replied   th<-  maiden,  calmly. 
.  .  1  ,-ouM  wi-li  that  \oU  rcc,.-ni/ed  rather  ti. 
v  than  of  authority,  in  this  matl(  r." 

•     whether  1  "!>ey   my 
own    will    in    thi-   :  r    that    .-f   anotlu"-.      If    i  ">9«J| 


•JI'J  K  A  Til  A  RINK    \\.\I.ln\. 

I    sliall    certainly    be    present.      I    have    n<>    wi-.li    to    increase    the 
animosities  which  exist  between  our  friends  respectively." 

"A  |»rcj,i-r  feclinir,  and  one  that  ini.irht,  with  m<>re  profit  be 
entertained  by  all." 

An  interval  eiiMied  in  the  conversation,  which  we  have  only 
detailed  in  portions.  On  a  sudden,  the  eye  of  Dal  four  caught  si-ht 
of  a  pair  of  lariri-  gloves  upon  the  table.  He  stretched  out  his  hands 
and  gathered  them  up. 

"  Arc  the-e  yi.urs.  Cruden  '!"  he  asked. 

"  Xo.     Mine  are  here." 

He  turned  them  over,  and  muttered  — 

"They  are  not  mine,  yet  are  they  a  man's." 
Singleton  quietly  interp 

"They  are  probably  Tom  Singleton's.      He  was  with  us  awhile 

"  IJalfour  smiled  skeptically.  He  had,  in  the  meantime,  while 
turning  the  gloves  over,  disco\cred  the  initials  "D.  !{.,"  printed 
legibly  within  them.  He  said  iDthin^,  but  threw  them  back 
upon  the  table.  At  this  moment,  a  si  ran  ire  sound  was  heard  from 
an  inner  pa-aue  conducting  to  the  stairway.  It  Avas  strange 
because  of  it-  suddenness,  but  of  no  doubtful  character.  Kvcry 
car  at  once  di-tin-ni-hed  it  a-  i>^iiiiiLT  from  a  human  prod 

decided     s v,    such    as    mi-lit     be     expected    naturally    to 

from  the  novirils  of  a  lusty  urchin  after  a  supper  in  . 
and  from  sleepi'iiir  in  an  awkward  position.  Ualfour  and  Cruden 
smiled,  and  looked  know inirly  in  the  faces  of  the  ladies.  15ut 
^iniilcton  remained  entirely  unmoved,  and  the  ivM  looked 
(juite  uncon-cioiis.  The  snore  was  repealed  wilh  renewed  cm 
pha-is. 

"  Not  a  bad  imitation  of  Tarleton's  bugles,"  was  the  remark 
of  I  la  1  four. 

"I1  leininds  me  very  mueh  of  one  or  Knyp!iau>en'^,"  responded 
Cruden;  "that  of  the-  little  Hessian  who  had  lost  his  nose  by  a 
sabre  cut.  You  remember  him?  When  he  blew,  it  was  evidently 
the  play  of  two  distinct  in-trumcnls,  the  one,  however,  clearly 
inferior  to  the  <,-i 

••  Vet  it  irnnlil  maintain  the  rivalry,  and  continued  lo  do  so  to 
the  la-l.  The  no-irils  all  tliat  remained  o|  them  ne\c] 


JHAFTS     \  i     i;  \  \  i "  i  M.  -j  ).; 

would    -m     \\ay   to    the    luiirlo  ;    ami     'Drick'   BO    they    called    him 

—  .short    fop     Frederick,     probably  blowim:     a    double 

bu-le.    doini:   th'  ,.»•    two    mm,    until    a   sh..t    through    his 

•  -in    oil    elTectually   the    supply   of    wind   necessary   for    both 

instrumei 

Tl:<  -in  the  interior  audibly  increased. 

"That  instrument  mi-lit  he  trained  to  -OHM!  service,  like  that  of 
'  I>rick,'  "  continued  Ilalfour,  who  was  apt  to  pursue  his  own 
the  death.  "  It  has  all  the  compass  and  volume,  and  the  Masts  are 
quite  as  well  prolonged,  without  subsiding  into  that  squeak  <>r  snivel, 
which  nn.'.'TMl  'hrickV  music  rather  unpleasant  at  the  close. 
Pray.  Mrs.  Singleton,  where  \\m-  JQQ  ^<>  forttinale  as  to  find  your 

tagl 

The  ..Id  lady  replied  with  the  most  admiral-le  gravity. 

K.ally,    C'oloiu  1    P.alfour,    hut    for  the   sex   of    |>oor  Sally,    s]K. 
should    beat    your   KTTice  fa    that    capacity.      Kate,  my.: 
wake  up  tin-  LM'rl.  sin-  is  :i>|,.,-|i  on  ij 
Katharine  iTOOe,  Jind  P.alfour 

IfiH   Wal'on.    i  M    thix   trouble,"   said    the 

oflicious  commandant,  somewhat    ea-erly.    advanciiiLf.  as   h,- 

•  leading  to  the  j>a- 

But     :  '    the   ]>•.!;.  Q    that    he  should  find 

v:  Spidell    ill    her  dwrlliiiir.        Kate    Walton    hrMtaled.      Tin-  old 

lady    s|»«iUe.   c(K)lly,    delibtTately.  yd    with  a   manner  that    w:is  COD- 
clu-i 

'  Th.inlx  J  :M!    ISalfoiir;    hut    I    jirefer    that    you    should 

i!y  out  of  .       1    can't    answer    for  the   .stupid 

at    this  hour.       That    -h,.    has  so  far  forgotten    i 
•.v    h<-r    musj,-    on    us    from    SU(  h     near    in  i 
.l-.uht    how   far  her  trespass,.,  may  !.       Do  you 

.    \ve  will  disjM-nse  witli  the   c. .mmandaiit's  iissist- 
•  veil   in    a  duty  so  arduous    as  that   of    routing    up  a  drowsy 

The  la<t    phra-  I'.alfour    .  -  ,,t       He 

felt    how  greatly  his  diirnity   \\..ul.l  ln-in.ir   cauirht  in  the 

II. :  i   i..  .e  been 

quite   hushed    in   the   consideration  of    his  own    *////'•»//•  ///•";-/. 

in    the    co  :     admirable    comp-  'ained    by   MfB. 


•Ml  KATII  \  KIN  i:   WALTOK, 


Singleton.  Her  .-illusion  to  the  possible  ii'minlon  of  Sally,  in  the 
nialtcr  of  costume  and  toilet,  \vhich  made  the  younger  ladies 
cast  down  their  eyes,  was  also  sugge-tive,  to  the  coarse  nature 
of  the  commandant,  of  a  sort  of  humor  which  is  proper 
fined  to  the  barracks.  We  will  not  undertake  to  repeat  the 
sorry  equivoques  in  which  he  indulged,  under  a  mistake,  natural 
enough  to  such  a  person,  that  he  was  all  the  while  very  mischiev 
ously  witty. 

Kate  Walton,  meanwhile,  had  penetrated  the  passage-  and  wak 
ened  up  the  sleeping  boy.  He  had  been  doubled  up  upon  the  stairs, 
and  a  few  more  convulsions  of  the  nostrils  might  have  sent  him  roll 
ing  downward.  Fortunately  his  shoes  \\ere  oil',  and,  roused  cau 
tiously,  he  was  enabled  to  retrace  his  steps  to  the  upper  room,  \\heiv 
Kamsay  was  impatiently  —  but  without  daring  io  move  —  awaiting 
the  departure  of  the  hostile  gu- 

This  event  was  not  long  delayed  after  the  oceu'Teiice  de 
scribed.  Having  exhausted  his  stock  of  llippancies,  and  suc 
ceeded  in  whispering  some  soft  (latteries  into  the  ears  of  Katha 
rine,  Halfour  turned  to  .Mrs.  lirev,  ton,  reserving  his  "  [,i*f  tr(,,;!x" 
for  her.  He  said  something  to  this  elVect.  spoke  of  his  testamentary 
addn  v-es  ;  arid  the  retort,  quick  as  lightning,  sent  him  oil'  in  a 

jiffy. 

"Ah.  Colonel  Hal  four,  were  they  indeed  your  '  lust  ^//v/.s,' 
you  know  not  how  gladly  \\e  should  all  forgive  your  nflVmvs  - 
nay.  with  \\hat  gratitude  we  should  accept  the  atoning  sacrifice,  as 
more  than  compensative  for  all  the  evils  done  in  your  v«-ry  short 

"Confound  her  tongue!"  exclaimed  the  enra-ed  commandant 
to  his  companion,  as  they  left  the  hou>«-  together.  "  It  is  all 
Tartar!  What  a  viper  she  has  at  the  end  of  it!  Hut  I  shall 
have  uiy  revenge.  She  i-  at  mi-<  hid',  and  shall  pay  for  it. 
1'licM-  people  are  all  conspiring  ;  those  gloves  \\eiv  \>r. 
Ram-ay'-;  and  ymi  heard  tin-  old  woman  admit  that  Tom  Sin 
gleton  had  but  lately  left  them.  The  :  the  Cloves  \\ere 

hi*,  not  dreaming  that  I  had  seen  Ram-ay's  initials  in  them.  I 
have  no  doubt  that  hotn  are  in  the  house  at  this  moment.  They 
will  emerge  probably  very  soon  after  they  hear  us  ride  away. 
Now  let  us  Bee  if  we  cannot  detect  them.  By  occupying  the 


>n  \  FT8    \T   I;AN  DOM. 

\\  e  c:in   readily  see  all  \\li<>   pass,  and,  1.  n    to  one, 
\\e    liiul    Ham-ay,  Singleton,  and   others    whom    we  do  ii"t    Kl 
\vln>  have  been  at  this  secret  me<  t iiiLT.  1   only  want   a  pretext  fi.r  put- 
tini:  them  all  in  limbo.     There  i-  n;oiv  <  oi;ii>cation   to  be  done,  ( -ru- 
den." 

"  All's  i.rrj>t  that  comes  to  my  mill."  wa-  th>  Q|  Crtidcn, 

with  a  lmars<-  chuckle,  as  he  mounted  his  horse. 

-oin.  in  the  and]  ime  "f  a  soldier,  stood  in  wait  in-:.  his 

him.  a<  he  brou-ht  up  that  of  Balfour.     To  him  the 
bii   instructions,  and  the  party  divid.-d   in  <«pposite  direc 
tion-,  mo\  in_r  olT  at  a  moderate  canter. 

The  sound  of  their  departing  f..(.t-tepx  brMiiirlit  the  male  «-«»n- 
spirators  from  their  se\eral  places  of  hiding.  Tom  Sin.irlctou 
and  Loekwood  looked  in  from  the  irunlrn  inipatirntly.  sumnu'ii- 

:  iinsny    and     the     hoy.     (leor-e,    from     the    interior, 
while,    the    unlucky    gloves  were    once    more    l.r.-u-lit    upon    the 
Mr-.     IIre\\t:.ii     had     rvmarked     the    peculiar    smile     upon 
Halfour'-s   \ :  .••    turned    them   over  and   heard  tin  m  ifl 

to    Sin-leton.  and    her  curio-ity    wa<    awakened.     The    moment    he 
i.irted    from  her  seat,  and  hastily  snatchint:  up  tlie 
i  the  two  capital  letters  con-pi<uou<ly  printed  within 
(lie  \\ri-l. 

\  .  "lit  upon  the  man."  ife  cried,  indi-nantly,  "  who  must  set 
D  manual  up->nall  his  powr^JMii.,.  IK, \\e\cr  in<ii:tiitieaiit.  a-  it  he 
forever  dicaded   n»lil»e:-y  ! — who  must    brand  ox.  and  a-s.  and 
lliiu.ir  that  i-  hi-,  with  his  prop<  r  arm- and   initial-:     Oh 
lurnin.i:  to  him  U  he  .  ntered.  and  ImMini:  up  il  Mf  with  his 

initiaN.  bef<,re  his  eyes       "  for  a  wi-e  man  you  do  a  ;;reat  main   fool- 
i-li    th:  k    at    that!     See    the   tell  files   you   earry    \\ith    you 

\\  heivver  y,  ,11 

"  All.  15ie\\t.-n.  this  \\a-<  cerlaiidy  a  childish  folly.      Hut.  wisdom 
alTonls  few  impunities,  since,  in  due  proportion  \\ith  our  knowledge, 
is  the  convict!.. n  We  f ,  ,  1  ,.f  the  vast    possessions  that  ue  rail  n< 
quirr.     I  shall  i  .!ter.     In  tlie  meantime,  has  any 

mischief  been  done?  '• 

••  P,-df..ur  has  read  the  initials." 

"  He  knowx.  then,  that    I    h  .  berc.      Hut    tlii>    i>    noth- 


•Mi:  KATHARINE   \\  ALTON. 

"  Much  to  him,  regarding  you.  as  he  must,  with  suspicion." 
••  IVsides,  it  was  unlucky,"  said  Mrs.  Singleton.  "  that,  supposing 
them  the  gloves  of  Cousin  Tom.  I  admitted  lhat  /»  had  just  left  us 
also.  To  know  that  you  both  werv  here,  and  with  us,  all  of  whom 
arc  looked  upon  with  evil  eyes,  is  to  set  his  -u-pieion-  at  work.  \Vc 
must  move  more  cautiously." 

"  Right!"  said  Smirk-ton  and  Lock  wood,  in  a  breal.i.  "  And,  to 
do  this,  the  sooner  we  ui»r< ojiT  together  the  better,  the  tide  will  soon 
serve  for  (leorgc." 

"  lie  has  given  us  proof  to-night,"  said  tlie  widow,  "  that  he  will 
never  "want  a  wind." 

A  laugh  followed  this,  and  poordeorge  hung  hi-  liead,  inwardly 
swearing  vengeance  against  his  own  uiducky  nose,  that  had  so  greatly 
e\]»  ,M'd  and  almost  betrayed  him.  Hesei/cd  hi-  basket  and  moved 
toward  the  door.  Ramsay  was  moving  in  the  same  direction,  when 
Toin  Singleton  interposed. 

"Look  you,  doctor,  you  certainly  don't  mean  to  take  Churcl 
street?  That  won't  do!  If  IJalfour  has  the  slightest  reason 
to  suppose  that  we  have  been  here  to-night,  and  have  heeii  so 
much  hurried  as  to  leave  our  gloves,  he  will  naturally  suppose 
us  here  still,  and  will  set  a  watch  for  us.  We  must  take  the  Lack 
track,  scramble  over  the  fences,  ;lnd  find  our  way  out  upon  the 
I  Jay.  ' 

"That  is  awkward,"  said  Ham-ay,  hesitatingly. 
•'  So  it   is.  doctor;    but  advisable,  neverth. 

Some  preliminaries  were  di-eu— cd,  and  ilie  plan  was  settled 
upon.  Hurried  partings  were  interchanged,  ami,  stealing  down 
through  the  garden,  the  four,  including  the  b<  <  .  pre 

pared  to  climb  the  fence,  which  wa-  a  high,  ragged  breastwork 
of  half-decayed  pine  plank.  Tom  Singleton  went  over  first, 
followed  by  the  boy,  (Jcnrgc;  but  the  worthy  doctor  hung  in 
midair  for  a  Beaton,  hi-  skirts  having  caught  upon  a  huge  -pike 
in  the  fence,  which  had  not  been  perceived,  and  which  narrowly 
gra/.ed  the  in-  j-tible  lle-h.  Singleton  and  J,ockwood 

both  were  employed  in  hi-  extrication,  which  was  only  ell'ectcd 
by  increasing  the  rent  in  the  changeable  silk  breeches  of  the 
worthy  doctor.  The  scene  provoked  Singleton,  who<e  risibles  were 
readily  brought  into  play,  into  insuppressibk  merriment. 


sn  \n-    \  T   i:  \\  -.' i: 

"  I  do  not  s,.e  what  there  is  so  ludicrous  in  the  matter."  -aid  Kam 
8&y,  a  :dy. 

"  Indeed,  but  then-  iX"  was  tin-  BE  '.  hen    \\  e  n-il.-d  upon 

tin-  predicament  of  tin-  future  historian  of  America.  »Ue\\ered  upon 
a  rusty  nail  in  an  old  wall,  and  as  incapable  of  helping  himself  as 
was  Al>-aloin  caught  l>y  the  hair." 

Kani-ay's  intention  of  wiitim:  a  history  of  the  whole  country  was 
already  kimwn  to  his  friend-.  Singleton  continued  — 

"  It  would  make  a  irlori.nis  picture  ft  r  the  book,  doctor,  to  have 
}ou  drawn  on  the  fence-top,  with  Lock  wood  and  my-elf  tUiTi^ni:  at 
your  skir;..." 

"  This  is  no  time  for  TO&Knfle,  Singleton  :   let  us  Lrotm."\\ 

•newliat  surly  reply. 

Tin-  party,  in  -ilmce.  then    pur-lied  a  somewhat  circuitous  route. 
\\hicli.  under   Sinirlettin's  ^njitlance,  familiar  etjually  with  tin 
I   of  the  town,  promi-ed  to  be  a  sal'.  < 

several  fence..,  jn  which  toil  the  historian  MilTered  no  further  mi-lup- 
of  habiliment,  they  at  length  found  th>  Lo  a  well  -known 

end. -i:re.  near  the  corner  of  Tradd  itTO  t  and  the  Hay.      Tin    I 
at  that  period,  pn-eiited  an  axpret  very  different  from  its  appearance 

i  'hen.  instead   of  a    well-pa\ed    a\.  nue. 

tiua-mire  in  wet  wcatlier.  The  s.  a  penetrated  it  in  numerous  little 
indentation^,  which  left  the  pa— ai:e  excee.liiiLrly  narrow  when  tin- 
tide  was  liiirli:  and  the  chief  obvtriiction  r.  ,i;i  inva-ionwas 

tlie  variou-  bas!ion>  and  batteries  which  looked  out  ujxm  the  harbor; 
thou-h.  e\«-n  in  the  rear  of  the-.,-,  the  \\  :-  -nally  formed  in 

pool-  that  miirht  be  called  lakelets. 

idling  this  limit,  our  fugitives   held  a  hurried  eun-ulta- 
tion  under  a  irroup  of  LMiar.lian  iiat    occuj.ied    tlie  ! 

covered  by  st.-ttdy  builtliiiLrs  of  brick,  which  still   int.  rp"s,-d   ! 
them  aiid  the  thoroughfare,      l-'inally,  it  \\ 

,!d    Lro   forth   lii-st.  makiiiL'   llieir   way  upward  to  the 
place  of  concealment    by  their   boat,  \\hith    lay  not    far  di-taiit  from 

tTernOT*!  ln-idLTe  ;   \\  hile   Bil 

interval,  were  to  pursue  th  R  ith  all 

le  circumspection.     The-.  i-rojiLrhi  \\\t  in  1  .!••  into 

the   nielli.     The  mornim:   star 
over  l>»-adl:.  .  :i«l   and  into   the  -hadow  ,  Ull     \\'aiido 


248  KATIIAKINK    \V  M.T<>\. 

river;  while  Ramsay,  safe  in  his  own  chamber,  was  curiously  in 
specting  the  serious  hurts  \vhich  his  changeable  silk  small-clothes  had 
suffered  from  his  unwonted  exercises.  The-  whole  party  escaped  the 
surveillance  of  Balfour,  who,  after  the  delay  of  an  hour,  Impatiently 
consumed  in  watching,  rode  back  to  the  house  of  Mrs.  Sintrleton  only 
to  find  it  all  in  darkne— .  He  naturally  concluded  that  the  prey  had 
escaped  before  his  visit.  Let  us  change  the  scene. 


THK  REBEL'S  MEM  IGERIE, 


CHAPTER  X  \  VI. 
Tin:  i;i:r.i:i.'-  KBHA.GXBIB, 

D   Major    Proctor    in  M    of   all    the  materi 
al*   \\hirh    the   hatred  of   Vauirhan,    his  cunning;  and  that    of    ISal- 
four,   wi-iv  preparing   1"    adduce    a'_rai:i-t    him    for    his   di-struction. 
Thu-    warned,    li                              My   armed.       He  had   no  rca- 
doubt    tin-   te-timony    thus  put    into    hi*   hand-:  ihou-h    still    igno 
rant    of  hi-  MCrel    friend,   and   totally    withou;  hi.-h    mi-ht 
lead  to  ln-r  di-c.'Vi  r\ .      HI-    was   ii"\v,  ho\\  .\rr,  1><  tier  prrjuivd  than 
before,    to   bclirvi-    in    tin-    conjecture    of     Furnevs.     that     hi 
revjM.ndenl    \va<  really   a    woman.      In    the    haMe    with    which    Klla 
Monckton  had  abrid:                    ;>ied  the  doeunieiits  \\liich    she  had 
sent    him.   she   had    -omeu  hat    for-Mlen    her    former   caution.     She 
•mmeiiced    her    \\ork    in    the    still,   feiirncd   hand    \\hiih    -In- 
had    formerly    eni]>loyed   in   communicating  with  him;    but,   as  she 
:             -led    and    irre\v    more    and    nioj-e   a                    tfl    her  labors,  her 
artiti.es    ueiv     neglected,   and    the    greater    portion    of    the    manu 
script    was  evidently   not    only   in  a    female  hand,  but  in   a 
one.     written     hurriedly,     and    exhibiting  a   singular    contract    be 
tweeii    the    >tvle    of    |M-nman>hip    \\ith    which    -lie    had    IM-LTUII    and 
that     witli    which    -he    tini-lie«l       Still,    the    hand    \\a-    totally   un 
known    to    him.    and    lie     br led     OVCF    it    with    an  interest   great 
ly    inereasid    in   the    v.  filer,  ni.»yed   eipially    by    ruri.«-iiy    an  : 
ilude.      He   coulil    only    content    him-elf    with    the    relleetion    that, 
with     the     ii<itnr<il    handwrilini:     in    his     JM>S-,  — i..n,    hi 
hereafter,    of    di-coverini:    the    fair   unknoun  •  thing   bet 
ter   than    b                    i.    if    th-    truth  i:an   to 
fi-el    tmite  a<  i:::ich    intep-.-t   in    thi-   new   obj'                             nsislent 


1850  KATIIA  i;i  \  i:   WALTON. 

with  the  paramount  necessity  of  usin«r  her  information,  with  all  des 
patch,  for  the  purpose  of  his  defence. 

Hi-re  his  ditliculties  lieiran.  It  was  now  that  he  needed  a 
friend,  like  Furm— .  pn-ent  in  the  city,  who  would  counsel  with 
and  assist  him.  Funicss  had  promised  to  hriiur  him  to  the 
knowledge  of  such  a  friend,  and  had  furnished  him  with  a  note 
to  one  of  the  citi/.ens  of  Charleston,  pivmi>iiii:.  at  the  saim; 
time,  that  the  person  to  whom  it  was  addressed,  though  .  i 
intimate  with  the  father  and  family  of  the  loyalist,  was  yet  himself  a 
warm  supporter  of  the  iiiniir,  >/,< /<f  party,  and  had  been  active  in  the 
labors  of  the  patriots.  Proctor  had  put  this  note  of  introduction  into 
his  trunk,  and  had  not  looked  at  the  superscription,  except  in  the 
first  moment  when  he  received  it.  That  moment  was  one  in 
which  his  mind  was  bu^y  wiih  other  matters.  It  was,  indeed, 
the  very  moment  of  parting  with  his  new  friend,  and  the  feel 
ings  natural  to  the  occasion  made  him  oblivious,  even  while  he 
read,  of  the  name  which  he  heheld  written  on  the  envelope. 
He  now  took  the  letter  from  his  trunk,  and  was  quite  surprised  as  he 
examined  it. 

"  To  THOMAS  SIN<;I.I.T<>\,  K-M.,  Charleston. 
"  By  friendly  favor  of  Major  Proctor,"  A:e..  A:c. 

Old  Tom  Singleton,  one  of  the  ranke-t  of  the  rebels  of  the 
city,  a  man  bitterly  uncompromising  in  his  hostility  to  the  Brit 
ish  cause;  a  wit,  a  humorist,  full  of  perpetual  sneer  and  sar- 
ra-m  at  the  expense  of  the  invaders  —  how  should  Captain 
Furness,  of  the  loyalists,  lie  in  communion  with  such  a  person  ': 
A  little  reflection  answered  the  question.  The  best  friends,  the 
nean-t  kindred  in  the  colony,  had  been  divided  by  this  unnatu 
ral  war.  This  was  no  reason  f..r  the  disruption  of  all  the  ties 
of  friendship  and  BOClety.  Betides,  PurneaS  had  e\pre-ly  an 
nounced  Singleton  as  of  the  parly,  but  had  still  spoken  of 
him  as  a  friend  of  his  family  -  as  an  honest  man,  and  one  of 
Shrewd,  acute,  penetratiiiL'  persons  whose,  counsels  would 
be  particularly  useful  in  his  emergency.  That  emergency  x\as 
;  -_r  upon  Proctor  now.  The  P.iitMi  interests  no  longer 

commanded     his    sympathy.      Its     leaders    had     wronged    and   were 
pursuing    him    with    hatred    and    injustice.      Why    should    he 


Tin.    1:1 .1:1  1  '-  M!  N  kGI 

•  the  services  of  a  friend  \\im\\mi.i  ierve  his 

^dividual  cause,  without  M-.-kinir  to  know,  OF  feeling  iiis.nii.  t  at  his 
political  sympa! 

OOO  satisfied  himself   <»f  the  propriety  —  nay.  : 

<>f  visjtini:  the  satirical  Lrraybeard.  Tom  Singleton,  in  his  domicil  in 
Tradd  street.  Hut  hen-solved,  also,  that  he  must  ino\r  cautiously. 
He  rememliend  the  counsel  of  Furnes».  whose  -hivwdne-s  he  could 
not  hut  acknowledge.  He  must  do  nothing  rashly.  — There 
need,  for  example,  that  his  servant-man,  .lolm.  the  traitor,  still  in  his 
employment,  should  In-  able  to  report  to  Vaughn.  j-r  Ilalfoiir.  that  he 
followed  him  to  the  dwelling  of  a  well  known  rel.el.  He  sent  .John, 
accordingly,  out  of  t'.ie  way.  with  a  missive.  i|iiite  innocent  in  its 
character,  to  a  remote  quarter  of  the  city.  Th<  -  little 

curious     eyes     should     notice      whe'-e     hi-     himself 
went.      He  chose,  therefore,  tin  the  time  for  his  pi; 

visit;  and  hetwe.-n  eiirht  ami  nine  in  the  eveiiim:.  tra\'ersin_i: 
the  uidiirhted  streets,  lie  soon  found  himself  in  front  of  the 
little  old  fashioned  brjek  Iniililiii.ir  <>f  t\\o  with  tall, 

pointed      roof,      which     old    Sin-leton  occupied.       The    door    was 
promptly    op<  n<  d     at    his    knock,    and    Sin-leton  himselt     r- 
him    at    the    entrance    of     his      parlor.      op<  nir,-      dinctly    on    the 

'•Id    man  ii-appointed    when.    ln.]«liiiLr    the    candle 

to    the    face    of    his   visjter.    In-   discovered    who    I,. 
evidently  expected  a  very  different   JHTSOM.  —  !!••    ! 
Ix-fore.  luit  failed  to  rrcoirnise  him.     The   liriti-h  otlicer  at  once  re 
lieved  Ids  curiosity. 

'    \lajor  Proctor,  Mr.    Singleton,  late  of  the  : 

"Ah1  and  to  uhal.  .Major  i'rodor.  am  I  ind.  l.ted  for  tin- 
honor  of  this  \ivi:  I  am  not  a\\ai«-  that  it  i^  ju-t  n-w  in  my 
power  to  he  of  any  his  mar  this  prov 

ince.     The-e  m  -ril    or    n 

my    wits    are    of    little    usr  e\en    to  li.    has 

the    monopolist    (,f   all  UK-  wisdmn    in   the   united    k:1 
and    its    depend,  IK  ies  ;    and,    for    the    matter    of    i,  u  hy 

you  will  mice  1'elieve  me.  liut  I  now  lind  it  impossilile  to  grat 
ify  my  u-ual  appi-lite  for  //•///,','.,//  and  I  i'n  to  the 
fish  market  DOW-ft-dAyt,  i>  oi,I\  :  the  im.-t  ::u:i\vinir 


•.'.V>  K  A  THAI;  i  NT.   WALTON. 

and  painful  sensations.  In  brief,  sir,  forced  subsidies  would 
scarcely  di-quict  me,  since  it  would  give  me  as  much  pleasure  if  our 
noble  commandant  of  Charleston  could  lind  out  my  »vays  and 
means,  as  to  find  them  out  myself." 

"  Pardon  me,  Mr.  Smirk-ton,  but  I  am  here  with  no  ollicial  ob 
ject.  At  all  evenK,  t lie  commandant  of  Charleston  would  be  as  lit 
tle  likely  to  employ  me  upon  any  service  as  to  employ  yourself." 

"  All.  indeed?" 

"Let  me  put  this  letter  into  your  hands,  sir,  which  will  explain 
the  true  object  of  my  visit,  and  probably  furnish  a  sanction  for  this 
intrusion." 

"Be  seated,  sir,  Major  Proctor,"  said  Singleton,  as  he  took  the 
letter.  Taking  a  seat  himself  without  preliminary,  and  putting 
on  his  great  gold  spectacles,  the  old  man,  the  light  in  one  hand, 
the  letter  in  the  other,  proceeded  to  master  the  content.-*  of  the 
paper.  The  name  of  "  Furness,"  dubitatingly  uttered,  aro-e  to  his 
lips  ;  but  he  soon  discovered  what,  even  had  Proctor  read  ihe  billet, 
he  would  not  be  likely  to  have  seen,  the  two  Greek  letters  which 
Robert  Singleton  usually  incorporated  with  the  flourish  below  his 
name.  Tin-  letter  wa<  read  with  the  greatest  deliberation,  then 
folded,  then  (juicily  passr-d  into  the  tlame  of  the  candle,  and  the 
burning  scroll  deposiled  in  the  chimney  -place.  Fixing  his 
ray  eye  upon  the  feature-  of  hi<  vizier,  old  Singleton  extended 
his  hand. 

"  Major  1'rortor,  I  am  glad  1o  B66  you.  and  will  be  glad  to 
serve  you  ;  though  my  young  friend,  Furncss,  entirely  overrates 
my  capacity  to  do  K>.  Mul  I  con-ider  it  quite  a  compliment  to 
my  heart,  if  not  to  my  head,  that  he  has  written  and  referred 
you  to  me.  I  need  not  tell  you,  sir,  that  I  am  quite  of  another 
way  of  thinking  from  him-e]f.  He  ha-  cho06D  tO  take  up  arms 
aL-ain-t  hi-  people,  and  I  naturalh  fed  -Mine  bitterness  on  the 
subject.  Hut  I  knew  and  loved  his  father,  sir  ;  In-  entertained 
me  in  hi-  mountain  region  with  a  warm  hospitality,  ami  when  I  lay 
f..r  a  month  dangerously  sick  in  his  dwelling,  his  excellent 
wife  nursed  me  with  a-  much  affection  ftg  if  I  had  been  her  own 
brother.  The  voting  Furne-s,  too,  \\a-  a  smart  and  proper  boy, 
and  promi-i  d  to  b<-  a  -trong  and  thoughtful  man.  I  love  him 
for  hi-  parents'  sake,  and  would  be  happy  if  he  had  suHVred  me 


Tin:    REBEL'S    MI:N  IGERIB. 


to    love    him    for   his    own.     l>ut    lie    is    up-mr.    >ir  ;    In-    ha 
dreadfully    erri'iiLT.      You    have 

in    this   war;   hut    \vh;it    is   t'  for   him   \vln. 

duly  in  justification.   while  he  call   the  throat   of  his  kin-nia:i   and 
his  neiirh' 

All  this  calm'.  ;'oken,   sutliccd   admirahiy  to  impr< 

British   otVicer  with  the  entire  truthfulness  of  the  whole  narrative. 
:  -oinethin::  l>y  vvay  for  theyouiiLT  loyalist,  hut 

tlie  other  interrupted  him. 

"There    is    an   argument,    Major    Proctor,    for  every    error,    and 

Humanity  will  never  want  a  lie  to  justify   any  of  her  failings 

to    h>  rself.      But     your     matter     is    private.      \\Y  upon 

:ect.     Come  with   me  into  my    den,   wh  :i    speak    in 

safety' 

into  an  inner  room,  plainly  furnished,  and  '! 
v-ick    door,   down   into   an   apartment    in   the   cellar—  a    lo\v 
criled  vault,  which  had  ln-en  fitted   up   \s  i  'infnrt, 

if    not    display.      The     room     wa-    pl.-i««teri'd    and     carjieted. 
was    no    fireplace,     and     the    wall     a-ain.-t     \\hich     it     slmuiil    ha\c 
StOOd     I  '  •!     \\ith     hook-.       The-r     Wele     not     S4MM1,    IP 

until    a    second    candle    had    l»«-en    li-hted  ;    and    then    Proctor    ilis- 
!    enough    to    confirm    the    report,    which    he   had    heard    he 
'•ntricity    of    old    Tom   Sindetoii.     Ti 

-    1\  ini:    with   1.  ith  thr 

tahle  :  -pend,  d   from   the  wall.   •  an   im- 

rattleviiake.  \vh  -d  the  dan-   of   the  (and.' 

:_rhtnevx   (,f    a    pair  of    diamond    luMns   in    th,-    1. 

Indian    prim  esx.      (  >n    the   Moor,    directly    heneath    the   < 

•uh.    in    which   an    occasional    |»la-h    w.-^    heard,    a-  of   a   ti-h 
:IILT    for  ten  room  ;    and  all    ahout   the    room   miirht    IK»  seen 

:utTed  and  living   hi' 

I  \\  ith   vh,  :         ',,r  heard   the   I'r.-ijiii-nt   rattli: 

of    paprr,    and    v.  '"led    at     the    whi//inir  <•! 

small   ol.ject    cl.i-r   to   his    fa.  c.    which    he   at    one   ti;  i    to   he 

rtive  assaults  of  some  en.  -  tic.  hut  u 

heeii  a   mi-vile.      II,-  was  Minn  infoniud  of  ih< 

ance  liy  the  sharp  addn^-cd  to  an  ol.ject  which  he 

did  n.  • 


'J.Yl  K  ATI  I.  \IM\r.     \V  \  i:in\. 


T..  your  sleep.  Ij.nl  Ceorire,  before  I   trounce  you  !"  and  there 

Was  8  rustic  airaiu  amonn-  the  paper,  a<   i!'  the  object   addressed   was 

preparing  to  obey.      "  You  are  in   my  den,  Major  Proctor,  you  will 

•eim-mber  —  1  sh<  uld  rather  call  it  my  m<  in';*,  ri<  —  so  you  \\  ill 

please  be  startled  at  nothing." 

"I>o  I  lu-ar  the  raitle  of  a  snake?"  said  Proctor,  with  a  shud 
der. 

"Yes;  T  have  a  most  glorious  monster  in  that  eaire,  with  but 
seven  rattles  ;  he  is  fully  a-  large  as  any  1  have  si-en  with  twice 
the  number.  lie  i-  harmless.  I  have  drawn  his  fan  ITS.  That 
fish  which  you  hear  plashing  in  the  tub  is  the  torpedo.  I  paraly/ed 
one  of  your  dragoons  the  oilier  day  by  a  touch,  which  will  make 
him  careful  never  to  grapple  with  tMi  again  until  lie  sees  it  fried 
and  on  table.  The  little  monster  which  annoyed  you  by  his  dexter 
ity  of  aim  —  your  no<e  being  between  him  and  the  light.  he  evidently 
strove  to  see  how  nearly  he  could  come  to  the  one  without 
extinguishing  the  other  is  a  monkey,  of  which  I  have  large 
expectations.  I  call  him  Lord  (ieor^e.  after  your  famous  nobleman, 
Germaine,  who  behaved  so  well  upon  the  plains  of  Minden.  and 
so  bravely  iu  the  walls  of  Parliament  hou--e.  ^'mi  shall  see  Lord 

The  monkey  was  summoned  from  his  perch,  and,  at  the  word,  he 
leaped  from  the  shelf  where  he  harbored  directly  upon  the  table. 
The  cats  wen-  awakened  by  the  movement,  and  raised  themselves 
(juicklv  to  their  feet  ;  hair  bristling  all  the  while,  backs  rising  in 
aimer,  and  tongues  hissing  and  snapping  at  the  annoyer,  who  had 
now  approached  the  ediTc  of  the  table  and  was  looking  down  wicked 
ly  upon  the  apprehensive  pair.  To  Proctor's  surprise,  and,  we 

may  add,  indignation,  the  monkey  waa  habited  aa  a  r.riti-h  general 
officer. 

••  Head  up.  Lord  (ieorire,"  cried  old  Singleton. 

The  liea-t  took  an  attitude  of  irreat  dignity,  head  up.  nose  in  air, 
and  ri'jht  hand  upon  his  bn 

"  \«\ir  sword.  Lord  (  ',c- 

OlT  he  spran.jr  to  a  dark  corner  of  the  room,  whence  lie  re 
turned  instantly  with  the  implement,  which  he  waved  aloft  in 
the  most  threaleninir  manner,  marching  across  the  table  with  an 
immense  strut,  and  audaciously  confronting  the  visiter.  Proctor 


Til  I  M  l.\   \<.\ 

wa-  half  tempted   to  >ei/e  aixl    wrm-  the  Deck  of   i!n-   i ki: 

mon-ter.  \\li.-M-  antics  and  costume  In-  beheld  \\illi  a  leelm- 
lion,  which  hi-  found  il  dillicult  to  supp: 

you  nut  incur  sonic  peril.  .Mr  in  thi-  Carlcal 

the  uniform  of  hi*  : 

••  M\  d-  ar  >ir.  did  you  happen  to  M  e  tin-  corps  of  Mark  dr., 
sent  otT  to  Monk's  Corner  M-mr  \\. •.  k-  ago,  in  hi-  majesty's  iinifonn, 
and  commanded    by  Captain   <^ua>h  — the   very  j)icture  of  lli> 
of  spades  done  in  scarlet  7      If  you  ,  ;hat    troop,  uniformed 

b\   Ilalfour   himself,  you  will   he  -atMicd   that    none  of   his  n. 
I    have    a   ri.irht    to  quarrel    with    the    coMume    «,f    nr, 

r,     if    you     ph-a.M-"— in    lower    ii-nns— "  Coloin-1 

ur." 

•or  was  silent.     He  felt  the  sarcasm,     old  ^in-leton  ad^i 
the  monkey  — 

"Hence  to   !)(•(!  ;   and   no   more   noi^e,  do  you   hear,  or "- --and   he 
pointcil  threateningly  to  the  tuh  where  *wam  the  torped... 

Tlie   monkey  shuddered,  howcd    gracefully  to  lioth  the  gentlemen, 
and  di-a|>i>'-ared  in  sih 

"  1  make  OIK    o|    my  Nca-t-  the  terror  of  the  oth'-r.      I  threaten  the 
eat  with   the  inoiiki-y,  the   monkey  \\ith  the   ti>h.  the   vIKlke  with  the 

••  Have  you  ;. 

"  A  ;  :n  ;  but  tl,'  Uc  our 

|»oor  people  iii  i:  I  -hall  -el  them  fn-e  the  \ery  next  \ie 

tory  \\hich  follows  to  our  anus." 

'.i-htly    Mailed.       Sin-let. -n    -a\\     tin-   -mile.    ]>ut   did    not 

;!'   to    Holier    it.         lie    j 

•    1  ely    fond    of     !  anil     I 

moralise    upon   them   with  a   taste    like  thai   OJ 
e.-t.       Thu-,    \\hat     a  <mp     and     vanity    |] 

of     my    I  '  -he    monk,  .   '       II,., 

.    but    I'nmJe-s    illii  e,    ami 

nil    uneharitahleness  ;       M  .  ,11     \\heii    in    • 

are    fa-hionable    married    people.   \\  i 

but    natural  I    life    of     indolence.       My    spiritless 

:i     me     the    hlrs-in^-  'U.     lo 

those   onlv    \\ho.    from     the    tir>t,    ha\e       •  .i     with    the 


K  ATI!  A  I;  INK     \Y  *  LTOK. 

faculty  of  living  in  the  rye  of  tin-  sun,  and  bathing  in  the  upper 
air.  And  my  lish  —  but  enough.  I  am  an  egotist  when  I  morali/e 
upon  my  beasts  I  must  apolou'i/.e  for  n«»t  thinking  of  your  alTairs  ; 
luit,  in  trulli,  you  needed  an  introduction  to  my  associates.  It  is  one 
satisfaction  that  1  feel  in  brintrini:  you  to  know  Ihem,  that  no! 
them  will  betray  your  seen  N.  You  ban  secrets,  it  appears  from 
the  letter  of  —  ah  —  Furnos;  and  lam  to  aarfd  you  with  my  coun 
sels.  Major  Proctor.  I  am  a  whiir,  and  you  a  P>riton.  Command 
my  counsels  in  anything  not  inconsistent  with  our  respective  polities, 
and  I  am  your-." 

Proctor  took  the  extended  liand,  and  thanked  him  with  a  warmth 
proper  to  the  t'rankne  s  with  which  the  old  man  made  his  ollVr  of 
service. 

".My  loyalty  shall  not  seek  Jo  obtain  any  advantage  over  your 
patriotism,  Mr.  Singleton.  My  all'air,  though  it  brings  me  into  col 
lision  with  my  superiors,  is  yet  wholly  personal." 

"With  this  introduction,   Proctor   proceeded   to   unfold   the   whole 
.     as     already     in     our  M,     of     his     conflict     with 

Yauuhan  and  Balfour.  his  exertitt  of  command  at  Dorchester, 
his  relations  with  Colonel  Walton  and  daughter,  and  those  sub 
sequently  which  had  made  Furness  interested  in  his  alVairs. 
Nor  were,  the  anonymous  communications  of  his  fair  correspond 
ent  forgotten.  His  statement  concluded  with  the  exhibition  of 
the  whole  body  of  doeumenlary  testimony  which  was  preparing 
to  lie  brought  against  him.  This  old  Singleton  examined  curi 
ously. 

"Thi-  hand    is    unknown   to    me;    but    Furne-<  is   ri-ht.      It   is  a 
woman's  hand.      His  conjecture  as  to  her  interest  in  you  is  ri-ht  a  No. 
Thr-e  la<t    |iapi-r.s  miLrlil   enable  you   to  find  out    who  she  18,  if   that 
ill  object." 

"  That  /.v  an  object,"  said  Proctor. 

"  Hut  no- 

••  Prr!ia|)s  not  ;  but  the  curi«-ity  is  natural  and—" 

"Justifiable.      Y..II  ceriainl\  OW€  much  to  the  lady.     But  now  to 

tpeik       These    documen;  .     from    fountain-head. 

I    have    no   doubt    that     li;  pics,    and     that     they 

show  truly   what    you    l,;ive  to  -uai-'l    against.       It    miirht    be  well, 

ho\\ever,  if  we  could   arrive  at    the  possible  source  of  your  iufor- 


Til  i:    hi  r.i.i.  -  M  IN  \(,i:i;i  i:. 

mation        r.aM'oiir    Ii:,~  |,oth    UK  IT    lad-,   OIK- 

naiin  -I  Monekton.  the  other  II.  -  ;..       DoyOU  kn..\v  eitln 

:     :       I'.  .;  li>  i-ioiially." 

Ai.'  \o:i  intimate  with  them,  or  with  anv  of  liU  aid- 

Cruden  - 

We  have  nothing  in  cuininun.     Colonel  (  rcdrn  i-  my  unck-;  but 
nlKratnl  csta'c^  much  ni«rc  than  any 

•  'f  kiiiilrnl,  ami  lie  i<  llic  ally  of  IJalfour,  a<  a  matter  of  jMilic\-. 
As  for  Pi  a  rr  \  .  lie  i- a  vain   foplini:.  a  small  \\\\,  \\lio  has   no  .v\-inpa- 

:iLriianiniity  — ' 

"  i.j:nl.  you    have  learned   to  appreciate  jiMly  the  dominant   vir- 
Vou    liavc    no    clue,    then,    to    ihjx  \\iii 

M  hut  what  I  relate." 

^  •     i:.  'hat   matter,  then,  for  the   present.      And   now 

for    this    ho.Iy    of    e\  :  On    the    fae.-    of    it.  you    pencive   that 

'ormidahle.      It     makes     out  •     you. 

Something    will    dejx-i'il     upon   the^-    wiim  1868,    much     up' 

:t    them.     Tlh-  'iniony 

are    all    of    -i    sort    to  lUed.      \\l\n    is  tl,i> 

in    tlie   neighborhood   of    |)o-ehevi,r.  who   hroUL'ht 
.me  and    I 

\*>    half   Indian,  hut    \\  ho    K  pn.bahly,    lialf    mulat  :         ,  harac- 

t(  r  ix  notoriously   l»ad.      II  iietl  drunk 

ard." 

I!   .>  foutetdmoojtotluUeffi         This  nionay  — " 

A  fellow  (»f  like  description. " 

I 
• 

r«-d  all   the  <ju<  M  Sin-jletoii;    and.  in  this 

way.  the  who!.'   ':  tiniony  \\a>  vi|"i,,|.      \\ ',.  ni  ed  ii"t    pursue 

the  detaiN  of  thein\'  ,  nil  for  the  pn  M-nt   i. 

irivrn  in  the  old  man'- 

"  It    is  dear  that    you    \-  :ld.or- 

hood.     with  to    all     tbe0e    wUneMeiL       V'-u     mu-t     inert 

their    testimony     hy   that   of    other  witnesses,    or   o  m    out 


KAI  ii  A  i;  INI:   \\  AI.ION. 

of  their  own  mouths.      At  al!  cv<  nts.  get   Mirticicnt    proof  of  the  sort 
of  people  to  be  sworn  against  you.      Do  you  know  old  Pryor,  of  Dor 


••  Ilr  is.  secretly,  a  rebel." 

"  But  none  the  los  an  honest  man.  At  tliis  moment,  it  will 
he  wise.  Major  Proctor,  to  dismiss  your  prcjudi<  r.rilish 

ollicer.  Pryor  is  a  rough  dog.  scarcely  civil  of  speech,  but  \\ith 
a  man's  heart;  and  lie  will  serve  you  faithfully  if  you  can  per 
suade  him  to  take  an  interest  in  your  affairs.  These  witnesses 
against  \<ui  have,  you  think,  been  Ixmi/Jil  up  by  your  enemii's. 
Old  Pryor  was  once  a  sort  of  king  over  all  the  people  in  that 
quarter.  lie  can  probably  assist  you  in  getting  the  truth  out 
of  some  of  these  hirelings.  (JradocU.  you  see,  and  Clymcs  are 
rsons  whose  testimony  is  most  likely  to  be  troublesome. 
must  be  managed,  and  Pryor  is  probably  the  very  person 
to  undertake  this  part  of  the  business,  lie  can  do  it  for  you,  or 
put  you  in  the  proper  way  to  do  it  for  yourself.  At  all  events, 
your  policy  is  to  proceed  to  Dorchester  with  all  the  despatch 
and  all  the  BCCrecy  p"wjMe." 

Th"    whole    process    underwent    examination    between    the   par- 

The    details   of    the    contemplated    plan    of   action    need    not 

••u.sscd     further    at     this    stage    of    on:     narrative.      Enough 

that    the   shrewdness,    good    sense,    acutene—  ,  and    rare    knowledge 

of    persons,    possessed     by    old    Singleton,    surprised    Proctor,    and 

encouraged    him    to    believe    that     he    could    meet   all    the    ditlicul- 

ti(-    of    his    cage,     At     the    close   of   their    interview,    Proctor    re- 

I   him  to  take  charge   of    his    papers,  referring    to   the 
espionage  of  his  servant,  .John,  and    the  insecurity  of  his  own  chain- 

"  Do  you  keep  that  fellow  still  ?  "  demanded  Singleton. 

"I  was  counselled  to  do  so  by  Captain  Furnc—  .  11:-  "pinion 
was  that  any  pcrs..n  whom  1  should  get  in  his  place  would  be 
equally  liable  to  be  corrupted;  v\hile,  by  keeping  //»'///.  I  disarmed 
the  suspicions  of  my  enemies  in  regard  to  my  knowledge  of  their 
schemes;  and,  knowing  John,  I  was  better  prepared  to  guard  against 
him." 

"A  WDSfMe  fellow  is  Furness.  He  i*  probably  right.  Well. 
Major  Proctor,  I  will  be  your  depository.  You  arc  probably 


Ti!  ii:. 

not    unaware    of    the    1'act    that     m\ 

irr.  at    Insecurity.      I    :nn  ;it    any   moment    liaiilf   in  ;   in  mv 

l>ed.    ami    .-en!    to  .-hip,    at    the    whim   ami    mere 

of  your  despotic  commander.      Hut  I   have  place-  of  hiding 

such    a-    v.  ill    bo    likely    for 

s.  arch.       M,  shall    take    you)-    KCTBtfl     into    1, 

Hi-hold     what     :i    .-mii:    <*crit<>ir    he    has    for    the  of    mv 

friend 

This  said,  the  old  man  touched  a  -priii-  in  11 

in    which    the    serpnit    lay    eoile.l    in    rep.  \  MI   was 

instanlly  revealed.    -howing  a  shallow  drawer,  which   aln-.-td  . 
tained  sundry  papers.     The  rattle  of  the  snake  was  quickly  sprung, 
and  the  IniniMied   head  of  tin-  niMiister  wa-  threateiiiiiirly   r.; 
.me  moment. 

••Mi-is«.n  the  watch,  y;;     •••  .      I',  -\    pen  01  would   pn.vecutL'  a 
scareli   in  this  ijuartrr.   with  M  vi-ilant    and  terriMe  a  guardian  <>f 

itS  8CCrct>.       (Jive  me  the  p 

'•  One    recommendation  .      ••  |l(.f,,r,. 

ir  kindne-s   to   me  and  interest   in    my   alTair-  will 

me   in   speakimr  of   jotK          I  yur  monkey   out   of  his 

uniform  !     I>.-.lfnur    would  you    the    caricature, 

partif-ularly   as  you    have   .  -t    in   a   coMum 
much   like   his  own." 

ter  it.  I  oonfen,    And  do  \ 

'.  tauu'ht  him  the  genuine   P.al four  strut  and  can  iid  the 

old  man  \\ith  a  (  omplacein  chuckle. 

"A   dangeroiu  experiment,   irhich,   if  known,   will  IM-  certain 
to  get  your  lodiriiiL.^  in  tin-  pn.\,  M." 

I'  i\    \.MIIIL:  friend,  this   alarm-  me   nothing.      What 

it  upon  what  plea.  uhrlh«-r  of  fun  or  paltioti-m.  I  get  into 
limho?  \\lieii  j'  Jx  needfid  to  dispose  <(f  me.  IJalfour  \\ill  ne\er 
lack  a  pretext.  In  ih--  meaDtlmfl  --IKI!!  I  l.e  irhhoul  m\  ainus,  mciit  ? 
In  the  'durani-e  vile'  of  my  pn  'liin-  \\hen 

I  can  lau-h  at   the   antics  of  tie-  en.  my 

•or    -hook    hi->    head.      1 1  ,;    old   Sin-jl.  loo    \\  , 

•  n    who   ;  their  j..I,  •    MI    ihi-ir    peril-,   :U,,|    i 

fort.,. re  all    further  exhortations,  \\hieli    :. 


•MIO  KATHAKINi:    WALTON. 

munsrl.  They  had  inucli  talk  besides,  but  such  as  we  may 
with  in  this  narrative.  Keturnini:  to  his  Imlirin^s,  the  Hiiti-h 
oHieer  found  his  man  John  returned,  and  looking  very  curiou>  at 
his  absence.  But  he  ism-  him  little  heed.  The  next  morning  he 
was  on  his  way  to  Dorchester  ;  but  not  unattended  ! 


1IVITY  M'll 


Cll  A  PTBB    XX  V  I  I. 


T>\i  D    appri/.ed.     hy    llir     treacherous     servant.    of 

of  Proctor  from  his  lodirinirs  the  iiii:ht  before  ;  and 
the  impossibility  of  accounting  for  it,  a>  usual,  led  to  the  conjer- 
ture  that  .lolin  had  been  scut  out  of  the  \\ay,  simply  that  he 
miirl't  not  follow  the  footstep*  of  the  master.  When  tl.- 
<lav.  Proctor  left  the  city,  it  \\  a>  determined  l»y  the  command 
ant,  after  a  loni_r  conference  \\ith  .John,  that  the  latter  should 
him,  but  in  a  di-_rui-e.  and  on  a  horse  which  Halfour  fur- 
nished.  T\\o  IIMMX  a<  (  oidinirly,  had  not  elapsed,  when  the 
faithle»  servant  \\:i>  on  the  track  of  hi^  nn-tei.  Tlie  progress 
of  Procti.r  \\a-  i,"t  BO  rapid  luit  that  he  could  l<e  ca>il\ 
taken  by  I  fifteen  miles  from  the  city  the  spy 

ii>lied  him  about  half  a  mile  ahead.      I  Ie  maintaim  V.   thi.x  dis 
tance  for  tlie  rr-i  of  the  jiiuri.- 

kke   l-.d_'ing»  at 

the   house   of    Humphries,     "Tlie  llo\al  (Jeor^e."  the  better    1< 
su-pi(  ion.      A  rival  tavern  !.y    Pr\or.  but.   Mb) 

Vhig,    he    M"  ed   the    public    patroimire 

the   patriot^.,    in    order  -ided    the   dwellini:  of 

one  with  whom  they  yet  thoroughly  >ympathi/ed. 

The  spy,    \shoin    practice   had    made  an  adept,   having   itvcertained 
the    manner    in    \\hieh    hi  had    di-p..-cd    of  him^el: 

B   to   tlie    ;  letters    fi 

to   Vaiiirhan.       Hi-    i  med     and    stabled,    he    left    the    for- 

01    of   the    iii-ht   and   establi>h(  d   a    \\at.h    upon   the 
of    Humphries.       Alter  -uj.p.  r.    Prod,  •  :tli.   and.  as 


K  A  TH  A  KINK    WAI. T<»N. 

the  localities  were  all  well  known  to  him,  In-  took  the  direct 
route  for  the  neglected  hotel  of  Pryor.  Thitlier  the  spy  followed 
him.  but  beyond  the  single  fact  that  he  saw  his  master  enter 
this  dwelling,  he  gathered  nothing  from  his  espionage.  Pryor 
received  his  visiter  at  the  entrance,  and  conducted  him  to  an  inner 
apartment,  where  in  the  course  of  an  hour's  conversation.  Proctor 
unfolded  all  the  dillicultics  in  his  ease,  and  indicated  tin- extent  of 
service  which  the  other  might  perform  for  him. 

Though  a  blunt,  rude  man,  and  a  lierce  whiir.  Pryor  was  not 
hostile  to  Proctor.  The  latter,  in  command  of  Dorchester,  had 
done  his  spiritings  so  gently  as  to  have  compelled  the  respect  of 
the  people  generally.  Besides,  the  service  de-ired  by  him  was  one 
which  aimed  to  defeat  the  machinations  of  Hal  four  and  Yau-han, 
both  of  whom  were  hated,  and  was  further  commended  to  him  by  a 
brief  letter  from  old  Tom  Sin-leton,  whom  our  landlord  well 
knew  and  greatly  honored.  The  consequence  \\a-  that  Pryor  took 
up  heartily  the  cause  of  his  visiter. 

"  It  can  be  done.  Major  Proctor.  It  xlmll  be  done  !  "  said  Pryor 
with  an  oath.  "  I  will  do  it.  1  can  manage  (Iradock  and  Clymes 
but  I  mii-4  have  money  and  my  own  way." 

"  You  shall  have  both."  was  the  prompt  reply. 
Twenty  Lruineas  were  at  once  put    into  his  hands. 
"  This  will  do,"  n-turned  the  landlord.      "  If  more  is  wanted  I  will 
contrive  that   you  shall  know  it.     You  shall  hear  of  me  throii-h  old 
Tom  Singleton.     He  will  tell  you  that  your  money  will  be  safe  in  my 
hand*." 

Proctor  quickly  declared  that  he  needed  no  such  assurance. 
"  Nevertheless,  major,  it's  in  tl.e  way  Of  business  that  you 
should  have  it.  And  now  that  we  underhand  what's  to  be 
done.  \\e  don*1  need  you  any  Ion-,.,-.  YOU  must  be  oil  \vMh  to 
morrow's  sun.  You  can  be  of  BO  KHfiOQ  in  dealing  \\ilh  the-e 
p,.,,plr.  and  your  presence  here  will  occasion  suspicion,  and 
make  the  affair  difficult  to  mana-e.  Of  course,  Ualfour  knows 
all  about  your  coiniiiL'  I 

--  -arccly." 

••  Don't    you    believe    it.       lie    knows   you've  left    the    city.       If 

I,.  '!    i  u  'i    think,    in    this    matter,     and    really    derfm    to 

•r«,y    you,    and    if    your   man   .John   be   in    hi>  employ,   and  is  the 


c  UTIVITY. 

rascal    you   think  him  — and   which    I    verily  believe  —  I  never  could 
hear    the     fellow        then.     In-     Nlfe     Hint     he     has     sent     a    -py    alter 

."  replied  1'rocior,  with  ran- simplicity. 

•Oh.  to   be    Mire    not:   It    is   I  e  and  not  to  U> 

seen.      But  do  you  so  act  MS  if  you  fell  that  ev.  •  which  you 

•.vatrhed.      (Jo  bark  to  Humphries,  and  a-k   the  old   scoundrel 

questions  in  regard  to  the  affair  of  the  rescue  of  Colonel 

Walton.      Don't    s;,v   a   syllable   of  ( Jradock  and  ( 'lyiiie-.      Talk  only 

(,f  Marion's  men,  and  the  -ro^le  eyed  lory.    Blonay.     This  will   lead 

with    the  dawn   to  morr<>\\  .   ,,r  an   hour 

It,  and.  by  BUnHae,  I'll  report  rvrryMiiii ..  iian.  jiM  as 

Humphries  wfll  1)6  sure  to  do.     This  u  ill  s,t\e   mr  harmless.     Other 

apt  to  enjoy  the  bayonet  pri< 

iruard  bef.nv  I  had  fairly  swallowe<l    breakfast.       We  miM    be  artful. 
\\ ,"r  must  fi-ht  fire  with  lire." 

•'led    that    things    were    now    ...    proper    train    in   this  quarter, 
:  left  the  shrewd  old  landlord  and   returned  t<>  play  tin 
'•'ed   \\ilhthe    loyalist,    Hum|ihli«-.       \\  ••    i:«  •  d    Hot    dwell    upon 
Ihe    details.      Tlie   counsel   of    I'ryoj-    was   clo^-ly    followed,    and    thr 
whole  history  of  the  n-mr  of  Walton,  by  .Marion's  men.  was  delilK-r- 
utely  di-cus-eil.  jioiiit  by  point,  in  all  its  particulars,  under  the  dubi 
oils  |i-_;hK  accorded  by  the  wit  or  \\isdojil  of  the  tory    landlord. 

With      dawn.       |'roct«.r      was     air.  <      bri.l_iri-. 

Lra/ini:  -ternly.  as  he  pa— ed.  upon  the  little  fortn--.-  in  uliirlihi.s 
e\|ieriences  for  more  than  a  year,  had  been  those  of  unmixed 
trial  and  hillernesv  His  hear!  wa-  tilled  with  the  maledic 
tions  which  his  lips  did  not  utter,  as  In-  thou-ht  of  hi>  enemy. 
Vaii^han  ;  and  hi-  hand  irriped  fiercely  the  handle  of  hi- 
in  a  mute  but  •  r  the  moment  \\heii  he  could 

lie    account    of    enmity    between    them    in    the  deadly  arbitra 
ment     of    tiirht.      He     little    dreamed    that    his   action    v 
and    its    Import    projM-rly    divined.     Tli«-    traitor  John   was    | 

, 'Idle.  and.  from    a    nei^hln >rin_r    covert,    had    1dm     clearly    in 
in-   spur    into    1  md    darted     for 

ward  .  and     the    other    doL'u'nl     resolutely    after    him.    taking   due 


KATHAIMM:   \v  LLTOK. 

care  not  to  draw  too  nigh,  yet  .-is  careful  never  Imiir  1"  k)M  hi<  master 
from  his  sight. 

The  spirits  of  Proctor  grew  more  elastic  a<  lie  rode.  There  is 
something  in  the  very  eH'orl  to  foil  an  enemy  which  contributes  to  the 
conviction  that  the  thing  may  he  done  ;  and  the  exhortations  of  Fur- 
!' old  Singleton,  and  Pryor  —  their  counsels,  and  the  cool  readi- 
:th  which  tlieir  several  faculties  had  heen  brought  to  bear,  in 
the  same  manner,  and  upon  the  same  game  -seemed  to  relieve  it 
from  all  its  embarrassments.  For  a  moment,  it  occurred  to  the 
British  major  as  something  singular  thai  his  two  agents  in  the  bu^i- 
nevs  ^hould  l>oth  be  of  the  patriotic  or  rebel  party;  and  that  lie 
should  owe  his  acquaintance  with  Singleton  to  the  interposition  of  a 
provincial  loyalist- — though  sufliciently  explained  by  the  former  — 
wa<  \  et  a  circumstance  which  continually  occurred  to  his  thoughts  as 
soiucthiii.tr  curious.  Nor  did  it  escape  him.  as  also  among  tlie  cata 
logue  of  things  to  occasion  surprise,  that  Pryor  should  speak  so  con 
fidently  of  communicating  with  old  Singleton  whenever  the  necessity 
for  it  should  occur. 

But  Proctor  had  become  quite   too  cold,  a*-  a   subject   of  his  royal 

matter,  and  entertained  quite  too  little  sympathy  with  the  exMinir 

powers  in  Carolina,  to  allow  himself  to  meditate  these  doubts  with 
his  usual  vigilance.  If  there  was  anything  suspicious  in  the  connec 
tion  between  these  parties,  there  was  no  responsibility  on  his  part, 
which  required  that  he  should  investigate  the  matter.  New  thoughts 
and  fancies,  new  conjectures,  hopes,  and  fear-.  |>a— ed  into  hi<  brain  ; 
and  he  found  himself  busied  in  fruitless  gUOMei  a-  to  the  unknown, 
but  as  he  now  believed. /"//•  correspondent,  to  whom  he  was  indebt 
ed  for  all  the  clews  to  his  present  inquiries. 

11  ^  she  fair?  was  she  young  and  lovely'.'  and  how.  when,  and 
where  had  he  awakened  in  her  ho<om  the  uch  as 

lier  solicitude  in  behalf  of  his  fortunes  would  necessarily  <how  that 
she  felt  ?  He  was  bound  to  believe  her  both  yoiin-  and  fair.  Com- 
ratitude  required  nothing  less,  and  it  gave  him  pleasure  to  be 
lieve  it. 

II  -  interest  in  the  unknown  continued  to  rise— it  had  risen 
prodigiously  within  the  la<t  few  days— and  his  fancy  began  to 


C  \mvri  v. 

frame    :t    portrait  of    her  to    hi- eye.  which    in  ;>ly    Income 

a  fixed    jinaue    in    his    heart.       Uul     of    thi-    I'roctor    hud    no    mis- 

Ilrtrit  grateful  for  the  lore  whtch,unknown,  had  watched 

s<>    failhfully    over    hi-     fortune-;     and     the    sympathy    which    had 
been    thus    ijratuitously    .shown.    mii:ht,    naturally,    in    the    h 

much    alone  in  the  world,  and    so   much   availed   bv  enemies, 
L6    and    de-er\e    a    warmer     sentiment     than     simple     -rati- 
tudc. 

It  was  \\  hilt-  thus  hro.Miiui:  over  th.  f  tin-  unknown  dam- 

s*-l  that    our   liriti-h    major    was   suddrnlv,  and    -oine\\  hat    roii-hly. 
liroiiirlit  back  to  more  inuneiliate  intcrc-t-  by  a  -tern  command  to  halt, 
from  ui  known  lip-.,  ami  by  lindini;  the  bridle  <>: 
of  an  a>- ailant.      I  L  Up,  to  behold    beton-  him  a  -turd\ 

er.  in  the  well  known  blue  huntiui:  shirt  of  the  colonial   i 
hand  preventing  a  pNtol,  while  the  other  bore  heavily  upon  the  bridle 
of  hi- 

I  .  lap  spur^  t«i  hi>  h«»r  •  :lu-  ob-truetion.  and  draw 
n  pi-lol  from  the  hoi                     ihe   in-taut  impul-e  «.f    1' 

but  lii- action  and  lurp'-e    \\cre   beheld   in    -ea-.n   for  a  warnin-:.  to 

\\llich   he  ITU  compelled  to  li-tell. 

II  It 's  iiM'le— .  major.      You're  surrounded.      You're  a  |'ri-«-ner." 
The    Him.  civil,    but    linn.      \\\<    \\onU     wet* 

onded    by    the    appearance    of    three    oil,.  in    simi! 

tunic,  each  of  whom     piv-enied     his    rifle  a-  he  drew   ni-li.       The 
'    t->  be  eluded  or    •  nid.  submitting    with 

r     of      them     led     hi-     li..r-e     by     tlit- 
bridle  into  the  nei-hlM.rin-  thicket.      In    ten    minutes   after, 
ilar  party   had     taken     like     p^-c-sinn  .,f    the    treachcr<  -u-    -ervant 
.lolui.       The    \\hole    alTair    happened     within    twelve  miles  of    the 
city. 

The  capii\e-  \\ere  tak'ii    to    the    shelter  of  a    deii-e  forest   irrowth 
which    skirted    the    A-hhy         v>  1   \\.i-    sjM.ken  dui! 

PPM  •  .  eilim:. 

:   comparatively  re-i^n.d     to  ihe    QTOOt        Hi-    mind 

which    enabled    him    to    l.,,,U     \\ith     -  •m«-thini:    like    indif 

ference     uj>on     :.ll     ti  '      fortune.      K«»r  the     present    he 

made    no    eoquJli  I,   <'o'ilentinur    himself    with     Hi-  n    (hat 

qilanation    would     <-..me    <juite    MX)  .         a3   per- 


KATIIAU  vi;   WAI 

milled  to  throw  himself  at    ease,  where    he  would,  among  the  1' 
and  his  horse  wa-  properly  oared    for    by  a  DegTO    -TIM,!!!  \\hose   rar(. 
Proctor    fancied    lie    had    seen    before;    a   conjecture    which  seemed 
to  find  encouragement    in    the    broad    grin    that    opened  the   t'«-l! 
countenance    to    barn-door    dimensions    ;is    h<-    led    away    the  steed. 

But  the  captive  was  permitted  no  words  with  him.      lie  was  vigil- 
untly    guarded,    three  or    four    ritleinen    constantly    keeping  him  in 

M.U'llt. 

Proctor  \\as  Mirprix  d  at  the  numbers  of  these  p--oplc.  Thev 
were  continually  coming  and  going.  He  noted  no  le^  than  forty 
ditt'erent  piT-ons.  All  of  them  were  well  mounted  and  appar 
ently  well  armed.  Tin-  place  had  the  appearance  of  being 
frequently  used,  as  in  the  present  instance.  !';>r  the  cam])  of  ihc 
scouting  party.  The  earth  was  well  beaten  by  the  hoofs  of 
hor-e-.  '|'b-  trees  bore  sa  Idle-  and  bridles;  lhs-rookp.il  smoked 
constantly  with  wild  cheer  of  the  woods;  and  yet  the  whole  party 
were  within  two  mile- of  the  Ashley  Ferry  road,  then  much  more 
travelled  than  at  the  present  da\."  Amon--  all  this  motley  and  some- 
What  SaVBgC  group,  Proctor  saw  no  ollicers  beyond  the  Lrrade  of  a 
M  meant;  but  the  utmost  onler  prevailed  in  the  encampment. 
It  WSa  \\hili-  h<-  lay  at  C:IM-  in  ihc  shade  that  he  saw  another 
captive  broiiLrht  in  as  he  had  been.  This  was  his  man  .Mm. 
P.ul  the  IJrilMi  major  did  not  reeo-m/,'  |,im.  and  the  j.ri> 
OOers  Were  guarded  -<•;>  irately,  and  at  no  time  allowed  to  come  1,1 

getber. 

At  noon,  dinner  wa»  -erved  him  alone,  and  he  was  waited  on  with 
re-peel,  by  one  of  1  he  for. --lei-.      He  \\  ;1s   \\cil  known.      The  man  ad 

1  him  by  name. 

•'  Who  [fl  yoill   leader,  sir  f  \\a-  Jhe  question  of  1'i'oeioi 
"He  mu-1  :ii!    .\  ei-  that  (jiie^tioi:  for  himself,"  \\  a-  the  n-pls . 
"  \Vhcii  shall   ! 

"  To  t.ijiit,  I  reckon." 

.    IK.III- al'Nr  (lark,    when    a    con-iderablc    l,Ustle    in   the 
camp   announced    an    arrival.       M«  anwhile.    a    tire    had    been    built 
amoiiir   Hie    tjeea    where    Pro.-tor   had   made   hi^  lent,   and  a  couple 
of  blank- •!•;    \\ere    provid.d    him,  with    a    thick    roll    of    black   tOt 
by    way    of    j.illow.      Hi-    had    -upj)ed;    and    uhile    he    lay    at    . 
with    hi-    feet    lo    Hie    lire,    meditating    the    novel    phase    in    his  for 


r\pTivm  . 

i    liiin    «>f    three    persons,  the 
taller  figure  of  the  party,  to  his  Lrreat  surprise,  heim:  marked.     The\- 

of  the  tire,  while    I'roetor   l:iy   oji 

1    ti-uie   liriran  tin-   conversation  with  a^kin;,r  tin-  captive   how 
h,-  had  l>een  treated. 

\\ell  M  I  could  wish,  sir,  my  rapiivity  alon>  Am 

I   to    understand   that    I   am    a   prNon.-r  in   tlie   hands   of  tin-   AIIHT- 

'•  You    are1     You     will    IK?    treated     \\. -11.    Major     1'ro,  tor.    and 
with    proper    n-sprrt    for   your  r   and    rank.     Indn 

you  neeil    i  li-oncr    a  moment    longer.     If   you    will    ^ivc* 

me   your    word,  as    a   man  of   honor,  that,  for   on.  u    will 

say    nothing  of  this  adventure,  nor   make  anv    report   of    tl: 

iinx    \ou     Mi    here.    y«»u    shall    l.e    fre  :t    witli    the 

dawn." 

"  That  b  ImpOMible, •&      I  <  an  make  no  sii.-h  ple.i .-.    .      My  duty, 

vil-    — •• 

•  ii-h.  Major  I'roctdi-1     It  will   he  my  duty  then    : 
safely,  at    leaM  for  a  feu    days.      It  \\ill   he   our  care  that   you 

lia^e    BO  reaaoo   ' mplain  of  anxlhiiiLT  hut  your  detention. 

•  .  and  the  e.nieh  a^-!uriie.l  y.ui  i>;  a  hard  on<-;    hut  | 
a  soldier,  ^ir.  and  mmodatc  your-elf  to  *\\f]\  small  ineonvcn- 

'    I  am  <'onl.  nt.  -ir.      p.m.  C.)|.,ni'|  Walton,  your  \ 

I  kno\\  you  ' " 

i   know   too  much    for  your   o\\  n  ,nc   of  f|1(> 

•  •Hirers    a.  r,,inp:iii\in.r    Colonel    Walii.n.  ilrawini:  a   pistol   from    his 

u-it.  with  the  words,  and  pa 

oner.     Hut    for    the    timely    interposition  of    \Valion.  the  rn-h    sub 
ordinate  wouM    have   drawn    the    tri::-ei.      T:  W9S    aln-ad\ 

•  d. 

*n  '  M-K.  i\.  \ p  '  ( ried  Will  o,  ari  um    "  i ' 

DO  hurt.      \\  e   ha\eonly    to  keep   him   snfely.      l'i;t  up  \,,ur 
weapon.      I  iiothiiiir  of  thi»." 

"  You  are  tOO  Indalgl  ')'.  < -i.l. .in  1."  s;,id  ||H.  ,,j)irr.  ;|  |,.,v 

for  it  some  dl/.      This  man  — 

"  At    l.a-t.  Irt    ii-    do   no   murder:      Major    I'r.-rtor.  h  . 
word  that    \ou\\ill    not   i:  .  ex  ajH-.  until   we   rel.-a- 


208  K  ATI!  A  KINK    \V\LTOX. 

This  will  be  in  a  week,  at  the  utmost.  If  yon  refuse,  I  shall  only  be 
compelled  to  subject  you  to  greater  restraint  —  in  fact,  to  put  you  in 
irons." 

'  I  can  have  no  objection  to  make  you  such  a  promise.  Colonel 
Walton,  in  the  hope  to  escape  such  ignominy." 

"  It  is  then  understood.  Your  range  must  be  limited  to  the  hun 
dred  yards  on  either  side  of  your  present  place  of  rest.  To  attempt 
to  pa-s  beyond  these  limits  will  subject  you  to  the  rough  handling  of 
your  guards.  Good  night,  sir." 

With  these  words  the  party  retired.  Proctor,  however,  could  still 
bear,  as  they  went,  the  expostulations  of  the  angry  otlicer  who  had 
threatened  his  life,  against  the  ill  advised  mercy  of  his  superior.  He 
congratulated  himself  upon  his  narrow  escape  from  a  sharp  and  sud 
den  death,  and  wondering  at  the  nature  of  the  enterprise  which 
brought  the  partisans  so  near  to  the  city  garrison,  he  sank  into  slum- 
bers  not  lr-s  grateful  because  of  the  rough  couch  assigned  him  for 
their  enjoyment.  His  fortune  was  much  better  than  that  of  his  ser 
vant  John.  The  treacherous  spy  was  hustled  across  the  river  that 
very  night,  his  wrists  folded  together  with  bracelets  of  iron,  and  a 
determined  trooper  on  each  side  ready  to  shoot  him  down  at  the  first 
siirn  of  (litliculty.  Let  us  return  once  more  to  the  city 


<;i;  M.r.vi.i.Y    DBVELOP1 


CHAPTER    X  X  V  I  IT. 

BBADUAUA     DBVELOPLH 

\Vniii-.    theM    Cjentl    \\en-    in    proirress    in    the    career   of 
t.-r.    soeiety    in    Charleston    WU    DOl      wholly     -la-nanl.       The     un- 

;rrenK  which  represent  the  moral  inlluences  of  tin-  social 
\vorM,  v,  •  •  -  motion;  :md  tin-  -cveral  parties  to  our  his- 

\\ere     more  moved     by    their    varying     inlluci: 

Tin    -n.it   ball  at   Crutlni^    \\;,s    yd    to    take  place,   and  \\a> 
i-d   forward    t..  with  eager  i  \<  itrin.-nt.   l.y    liundrcds   of    th.-c    uho 

lit  in  M.cicty  rather  tin-  pa-in-  «!«-liulit-  than  the  MilMan- 
tial  virtues  wliich  make  society  sn-un-  and  |MTIII:IMCII|.  The  in- 
ti-r\al.  nicanwhilr.  w  a-  not  unemployed  by  th.'M-  \\lio,  without 
bcir,Lr  able  to  emulate  the  splendor  of  the  Intended  MKRll 

yd    anxious  t,.    make    MM    ti.irun-    in    tin-    won  «nd- 

inir    with    their    proportion*    and  The    <! 

cordin-ly    consumed   in  fit*   >'/t, imp.ti;.    and    the    niuhtx    in    li 
rcunfc.ns.       I'   "•-    for    HaddnH's.     Sullivai.  NIor- 

ris   islands,     v  Mi-taut    occurance.    and    drive*  into  St.    An 

.in-v.       .  nd  other  oontiguom  piae.-s  fur- 

nishetl    employment     and    e\<  iteinent     to    i  ipt    to     \\hom 

tin-    iiuestion    of    the    lieii/onian,    'T'lider    \\hich    kin: 
olTen-d     the    sliirhle-t     ai:ii"\:ii)ee.        The<e    rxmi  •      all      ta 

ken  durini;  the    dayliu'lit .  for  the  autumn    »,  a->n.  in  the    sw.nmp 
lina.    did    not   suffer  pleasure  to  s,,,,rt   with  imp  . 
ulonij    the     \\  with     the  sanction  of    | 

li.irht    and    the  MID.       At    niirht.    .iray    abodes    in    the 
and    welcomed    the    buttertly    tribes    to    whom    life    offered    no  88- 
peet*    which   rendered    the    economy    of  tii;  le.       Our 

cellent    Mrs.      Uivin-t.-n     had    li«-r     "<  a<  sMrely     as     her 


K. \T1IA1;  I  N  i:      \\  A  I.  I  u\. 

"mornings" ;  and  there  were  a   number   besides,    \\\n>,   if  individ 
ually  less  frequent     in    throwing    open    their     saloon^,    were    sulli- 
cie-.itly  numerous  to  suffer  n<»  ni^ht  to  pass  without  affording  a  point 
iilicrin£  f«r  tin-  liyht  and  motley  multitude. 

We    will    suppose    some    few    days   p.    have    passed    in    practices 
such    :is    these,    since    our    la-t    meeting     with    the     conspirators    at 
Mr-.     Singleton's.       The    occasions     were    studiously    contrived    liv 
1'alfour   and    his    satellites    to    brini:    Katharine    Walton    int. 
pany.       The    policy    <  Sinyleton    encouraged    h«  r    in    yield- 

iiiLC  t^  this  olijcct.  however  little  she  may  have  relished  it  at 
hear!.  ]!ut  two  results  were  aimed  at  in  the  concession.  It 
was  only  prudent  n».t  to  olVend  authorities  which  had  the  parties 
completely  in  their  power ;  and  nuile  as  important,  hy  coneed- 
inir  thus  much,  if  possible,  to  divert  suspicion  from  tin- 
toils  of  our  feminine  Conspirators.  Accordingly.  Katharine  \\.-il- 
ton  moved  in  a  cin-le  which  in  her  heart  she  loathed,  and  received 
the  devotions  of  those  who-e  tributes  revolted  ccjually  her 
patriotism  and  pride.  IJut  she  preserved  her  temper  in  the  calm 
control  of  her  pure  and  proper  thoughts,  and  if  she  was  not  al1 
that  her  suitors  desired,  she  at  least  afforded  them  no  nece--ar> 
cau-e  of  complaint. 

I?',  the  meanwhile,  she  had  met  with  and  made  the  acquaint 
ance  of  F.lla  Moiicktoii.  At  lir-t  the  two  maidens  were  Bbme< 
what  shy  of  each  other.  We  are  in  po-sessinn  «,f  the  sullicient 
reason  f,.r  this  shyness  on  the  |»art  of  Ella.  Katharine's  reluc- 
tanee  an.se  naturally  enough:  lirst,  from  the  kno\\  led  ye  that 
Klla  lielonyed  to  the  enemy—  was  of  the  loyali-t  faction;  ^ind, 
secondly,  lieraii-e  tin-re  was  lu.thiny  either  in  what  was  said  of 
her  by  r  in  the  t  ////'/•'  >•>•»///////  of  her  own  manner,  to  en 

able    her  to  li\  or  command  the  consideration    or  eurio-itv  of  our 
heioinc.       I5ui    circumstances,   and    occasional    communion, 
to    break  down  the  Jir-t   liarriers    which    natural   restraints    b 
lift  between  them.      A.  word,   a    tone,    a    look    will     sullice.     where 
inirenuous    and    youny,     to     appeal    t->     the    affections, 
and.    very    soon    it    was  that,    under  a  ^hrinkini:  aspect,    which    the 
vulur«-r    mi'jlit    consider  pi'ide.    but  which    is  just  as  likely    to    be  an 
e\<|uNite    sensibility,      Katharine     Walton      perceived      that       Klla 
Moncktc.n    harbored    the    mo-1    delicate,    pure,    and    irenerous  of   na- 


tADUALL')     DEVELOPIH 

On    111.'    other   hand,    Klla,    M>mehow,    f<  It    licr-clf.    ll 
i-f  hei-M-lf.  drawn  toward  her  rival.  :i-  by  an  ine-i-tible  aUraciioM.     At 

be  laniruaire  "f  her  i,  id  — 

"I   d<>  not   hate,  luil    I    fear    her  '.     She    pains  ami    dial 
tiiou-h  -!i  :,d." 

<  quently,  il  h:id  aii'-iiu  r  lain:1. 

••  Th  ry  noble  and  commanding  about  thii 

•  I'TIII  ;  pure  and  rha-te.  yet   without   any 

affectations  of  dclic:;cy.     She  fa  gCnti  'l.andtli 

wondr  h  and  melody,  mixed,  in  tin-  \<>\',c<  of   i, 

piteof  At'ffl  .'    I  liki-  IHT.  and    feel    that    I.  too.  eoul«l   love 

But   there  \va>  a    i'  D  about  the  intimacy   of  ihc   j 

\vhieh  time  alone  could   lr  :i  do\\u.      ( >f  ei-ui^e,  Katliaiiiu- 

Walton  was  n«>l    aware  of   any  i;Mi  re-t    \\liicli  -heeotild  have  in   the 
alTnir-  of  Klla  ;  v.hile  ihe  latter.  <>:i  the  <-ili.-r  hand.  H  :  ied  by 

fear    that    Katharine     wiild     decipher    h-  r 

...n. 1  in   the  tremulous 

|j,  harinu 

saw     notliini;    in    iliov,-   eyefl    but    th-  11   of    a    rap-    lender- 

1    noiliin.i:    in    ln-r    \(  i«'ir    bui 

and  touehin-  li.:rmor,\  .  \\  liieh    iiu  reaped  her  ii;iep-t  in  one  in  w  limn 
she  never  th.-ujlit  to  lind   a   ri\al.      P.ut    the   partie-   iiivrii>ib!. 

to  -ether   more   and 

bet\\eeu    the     \\i«l..\\s     M..lM-kl«-ll    and     Sill-lcton     u  as    i;ra«lli:illy    rr- 
sumed    tliroii-li    tin-  irm\\  iii.ur    in!imaey    beiue-n    1: 

eml     a    m-'inin-    at     the     IM-  W9M     :i    H"t 

unfre«|uent     thii:ur     ^ill»     KH:i  ;    ^1> 

suaded     to    take    her    \\i-rk.    «T    her     book,    to    the    In.' 
Monektoi).    ami    -«>    iut"  '"    tll(' 

!     h<  r     d.  -\liillnT    the 

crowd    ne\er    ramc.    an-l     v.heie    ihe    ITM    KldOO  '"     ll"' 

annoyatK  es   \vlii  :»  niiHianied 

pillantly.    and    a    de\otion    whi.h  nothing    L'rateful    to 

lli-r  fa: 

It    was    one    afternoon,  \\lii!.  -i(    '«•• 

Katharine,  that  lh.    -a\  wi.!..\\    I'.i  e\\  t,  .••  j.  .inn  1  tin   circle.     In 
stantly  ine<  .:  d  of   h.-r  MX  i;il  pro-rn-ss.  thi.s  lady  \va> 


K. \TH.\I; IN  i:   \v.\  i  TON. 

put  in  possession  of  the  latest  »/<  <'it  of  the  city.  She  had  been  that 
morning-  at  Mrs.  Rivington's,  \vlu-re  it  seems  that  Proctor,  and 
his  command  at  I  Wehe.Mer.  had  been  the  subject  of  con- 
vt  Tsttion. 

•'  There  N  evidently  a  detenninaiion,  in  high  quarter-."   said   the 
widow,  "  to  de-troy  that  poor  fellow,  Proctor." 
The  heart  of  Klla  trembled  at  these  words. 

"  I  -u.speet.  Kate  Walton,"  she  continued,  "  that  you  are  to  blame 
for  it  all." 

"Mel    II- nv  y    Why?" 

"Ah!  do  not  feign  ignorance.  Barry,  and  his  eternal  shadow 
M'Mahon.  were  both  in  full  cry  against  him  for  his  presumptuous 
admiration  of  you.  It  was  charged  that  you  are  the  cause  of  .-ill  his 
neglect  of  duly  ;  and  a  great  deal  was  said  of  a  nature  Jo  lead  me  to 
sti-pect  that  great  pains  will  be  taken  to  establish  the  facts  against 
him.  litil  I  did  n;it  >o  much  trouble  myself  in  relation  to  his  case  asto 
yours.  The  question  was  in  what  degree  you  had  given  Proctor  en 
couragement.'1 

[76  him  encouragement  1" 

:ne,  come,  Kate!  Do  not  put  on  that  sublime  look  of  indig 
nation.  Proctor  is  i:ot  a  prison  to  be  de-pis,. d.  He  is  one  of  the 
noblest  of  all  these  I'.ritMi  otlicers  and,  by  the  way.  one  of  the  br-t 
looking.  A  maiden  might  well  give  him  encoiu  .i^enient,  without 
intending  it,  and  might  jusi  as  easily  forget  to  shield  her  own  heart 
against  his  attacks.  Mark  you,  I  do  not  say  that  such  has  been  the 
with  you  ;  but  there  wnv  th  t  thi-  morning  that  did 

SO,  and  who  brought  forward  a  large  number  of  proofs  to  con- 
elude  what  they  asserted." 

"  And  what  did  ym  say  ?  "  asked  Katharine,  with  a  smile. 
"Oh  !  you    may    guc--.      I   a-ked.   with    no   little   scorn,   if    there 

-lujiid     a>    lo    Mijipitse    that    you    were    gnjiu 

throw    yourself    away    ujton     a   red  <-(,;li  :    and    I   turned    to     Major 

jr,     aiid     rcmarkcil     in      lhc-e      vcrv      words:     "  t'lidoubtedly, 

major,  you  are  among  the  handsomest,   the  bravest,  aud  the  wilti- 

f   all    your   crew  —  perhaps    the    very    Magnus  Apollo   of    the 

tribe.      Now,    pray    you.    think  of    Mis^   Walton,    of  her  mind,   her 

ii.    and,    la-l     and    h-a-t    of    all,    her    fortune  ;   then,    be    plea-ed 

to  win  el  about   and  confront   your  own   image    in    that    grand   mir- 


GRADUALLY    DEVELOP 

tfn,  Kivin-ton's.  Ilavini:  done  K>,  ami  having  brought 
all  your  well-known  self  esieem  t.i  bear  upon  the  question,  then 
ask  yourself  what  would  In-  the  amount  nf  claim  ami  attraction 
which  you  miirht  urirc.  if  seeking  the  hand  of  Katharine-  Wal 
ton.'  " 

•  '!,.  Mr>.   Bl 

"I  did ;  and,  positively,  a  miracle.    The  little  fellow  biu^nd  ' 

Blu-hed.  until  nobody  thought  to  lock  at  the  scarlet  of  his  re-inn-nt- 

And  Captain  M'Mahon,  looking  in   hi"  face,  blu-hed  :. 
reflection,  I  suppose  :  and  for  a  moment  the  whole  -quad  wassil,  - 
But.  with   a  -  -pcratiim.  they  renewed   the  tire,  as  much,  it 

would    seem,  to    please   that    l>ra/en   beauty,    Moll    II.i\.\.   as   with 
any    otlu-r   oltjei  t.       The    ariruincnt    v. 

:>!y  involved  with    Proci-.r  <-\er  to  r-cape;  thai  Half. -ur.  accord- 
in  s:ly  stood  no  chance;  that  \\hatevtr  mi.irht  he  done  a 
was   to   him    a    matter   of   perfect    indifference.  IJtY 

remaini'd  untouch<  .1  ;  that   he  was-    already  'p'vl>:n"(-d  to  abandon  the 
British  for  tin-  American  caii<e  ;  and  that  your  love,  of  which  In 

lie,    was  sufficiently   (  ompensalivc    for  all   his  los^s    and    p: 

Klla  l'«  It  as  if  -lie  couhl  have  huried  her  face  in  tl,. 
if  her  heart  u  » -re  already  buried  th- 

"  \Vhal  a  farrago  ,,f  ahsurdil  i«->  '  "  exclaimed  Katharine. 

\.    Kate,   upon    my    soul.    I    don't     sec    that.       I 
my  word     for    it    they   i  < TV   plausible  Qg  ilinn. 

.     o,l\     dU  Miethini:    about    your      on..-     having    draun 

iriir-jer  upon  Proctor.  a<  a  pi'  it  di-like  ;  but   the - 

•ively    drnicd    by    other-,   and    IV  \\ords    rpmt.   | 

denial." 

1  It  was  ncvertheli  s,  .juitr  true."  -aid  Katharine,  gravely 

•  Tn»         •  \'  laimed  Klla.  \\ilh  a  cmivuNivr  "hu-: 

"All    true."  :nis\\,  •;,  d    Katharine,  with   increasing   gravity.          I' 
is  one  of  tlio.se   tliinirs  of  which   I  do  not   .  i 

at    my-clf  when    I    think   of   it  ;     and    no    ilmtbt     Major    P' 
nies    it,    with     an     honorable    di-po-iiinn.    t  me    from    the 

odium  .-f  havin.ir  attempted  su«  h  a  erime,  I'-ut  it  was  in  a 
ment  of  l(-p«  ration.  :dmox|  of  ma«ln« -<.  that  the  thing  wasd. 
an  having  told  \.»u  thus  much.  I  mu-t  tell  you  all.  by  way  of 


K  A  THAI;  IN  i:    WALTON. 

explanation  ;  but  1  entreat  yon,  Mr-.  Brewton.  and  yon,  Klla,  to 
keep  the  matter  secret.  My  dear  cousin.  Kmiiy  Sin-irton,  was  dvin- 
in  our  h«  .use  ;  hi  r  brotlicr,  Hubert,  was  with  us.  coneealed,  a  fugitive, 
about  lo  receive  her  last  breath.  At  that  awful  moment  .Major  Proc 
tor  entered  the  dwelling,  followed  by  his  troops.  I  arrested  him  at 
the  door  of  m\  cliamlu  r,  fr<.ni  whii  h  Robert  made  his 

escape  by  the  window.  Major  Proctor  approaching  with  the  re-.lu- 
tion  to  enter,  though  I  had  foibidden  it,  I  sei/ed  one  of  my  cousin's 
ptetols,  and  fired,  fortunately,  without  effect,  for  I  had  no  aim!  ] 
knew  not  what  I  did  !" 

A  deep  siirh  struiru-led  forth  from  the  breast  of  i;ila  Monck- 
ton. 

"Why,  \\hat  desperado  you  are,  Kate  '."  exclaimed  Mrs.  Drew 
ton.  "  I  th-  UL'ht  I  had  wickedness  and  wilf'ulnos  for  anything;  Injt 
I  never  once  dreamed  of  the  pos-  ibility  of  my  ever  attempting  to 
{•hoot  do\\n  a  British  major.  How  did  you  fed,  child,  u  In  n  you 
Were  doing  it?  \\hen  you  pulled  the  n-ly  little  crooked  iron  they 
tall  th-  When  you  heard  the  sudden  ham!  bam  !  and  saw 

the  lias. i  ?  Did  you  tremble  ?  Did  you  faint  '!  Did  you  not  fed 
like  p-in.ir  off  into  hysterics  ?  IJi.-x*  me.  you  arc.  indeed,  a  heroine  ! 
and  how  the  fiin.ir  was  hu-hed  up  '  f(,r  the  j>er>on  -  -  who  wa|  it  ? 
--that  mentioned  it  this  mornim.',  irave  it  oidy  as  a  rumor,  and  was 
easily  silenced  !  " 

"It  was  too  true!  I  knew  not  what  I  \\a-  di«inir  this  must 
lie  Miy  apology.  J  (.\\c  much  to  Maj-T  Proctor  for  his  foibear- 
ance  " 

••  And  uill  pay  him  with  your  heart." 

••  Never'  never!  Let  me  tell  you  further,  and  thus  silence  //«»//• 
doubts  forever,  Mrs.  I5r«-\\  i,,n  -  lam  the  betrothed  of  my  cousin, 
IJobert  SiMLrleton;  M  a  jo|-  Proctor  can  never  1  »e  a  ny  t  h  i  n  •-.-  !  «•  m<  •  but  a 
gentleman  Of  Worth,  whom  I  very  much  esteem." 

Could    Katharine     Walton     1,  the    bri-hi     but    tearful 

i    i:i  at    that,    moment!     Wiih    uhat   a   bound  her  lit- 

tl-    hearl    tt        Ul    h.-r    mouth,    and    fluttered    then-    like    lome   cap 

live    bird,  deluded    for   a    moment     with    a    dream    of   e-cape    from 

prison  ! 

<  tout -ntcn  d  the  apartment  at  thi    nn'mi-nl.       She  heard 
the  revelation  of  Katharine,  and  ^poke  rebukini^l v. 


LDUALLT    DKVELOPINO. 

'  Katharine,  my  child,  this  sfiould  not  have  heen  told.  It  is 
our  policy  to  keep  it  secret.  If  known  abroad,  it  mav  In-  fatal 
to  your  fortunes.  Bar  i'earance  is  due  entirely  to  his 

doubt  of  your  engagement     He  has,  thus  far,  no  reason  to 

it.      Let  him  suppose  that  the  affair  i»  irrevocable,  aix 
commissioner  of  sequestrations  keeps  no  terms  with  you. 
you  l"-e  (••.  erylhin^." 

"  Be  it  BO,  i:  v  dear  aunt,"  replied  the  other;  ••  hut,  helievr 
me,  I  should  rather  h>>e  all  tha  the  reproach  of  hohl- 

ut  anv  encouragement  to  others,  which  mav  mislead." 
"You  are   quite   rijjht,  my   dear,"   cried   the  widow    Bie\\tou 
"I  much  prefer  the  manly  course  myself." 

"  N. iy,  she  is  quite  WP»I,«;.  and  you  are  quite  wron^.  permit 
me-  ,  -ponded  "  I e ton,  with  great  gravity. 

r       n!\-  asked,  my  child,  to  keep  a  secret  \\hich  peculiarly  con 
c«.'.n.>  youixdf,  and  which  nobody  has  a  ri^ht  to  -eek.      In  >\ 

•»u  hold  forth  no  encouragement  t-«  "ther^,  so    h»n^   a>   your 
deportment  is  that  of  a  lady.     The  presumption  which  take- 
granted  its  own  merits  as  too  potential  to  he  withstoo  1,  mu>t  pay 

•vn  penalties,  and  is  not  panicularly  a  suhject  of  coinmi-< 
tion  or  concern,      lfthe.se  people  assume  your  freedom,  let  t-hein 
do  s,,;    if  they  piTMime  upon  it,  there  will  alw. 
intrrpose   and   check   them,  either   hy   simple   i  ejection    of  their 
civilities,  or   hy   showing,  if  you   think   proper,  that   you   are   no 

ur  ou  ii  ;  In  your  pres.-nt  circuiii 

•  impropriety  in  that  re-erve  which  simply  keeps  from  ..IM-'IJ 
- ':hor   a   jirivaTe   history,  which  is  especially  one's  own;   and 
every  motive  oi'p,,licy  in.sists  upon  th-- 

"  .My  dear  aunt,  my  st-cret  will  he  prrfectly  safe  with  Mr*. 
Brewton  and  Klla." 

The  ladies  thus   mentioni'd   hastened   to   ^ive  their  assui 
to  this  eil'ect. 

*•  No  douht,  no  douht.  my  dear;    hut  without  my  wa 
would    prohahly,    under    tin-    same    ;  :i,    have    revealed 

yourself  in  like  manner  to  a  \e." 

"  It  is  very  like  I  should.  I  have  heen  always  accustomed 
to  this  freedom  ;  nnd  I  confess  to  a  feeling  nowi.se  n^reeable  '» 
yielding  to  the  reserve  which  you  call  policy  hut  which 


270  KATHARINE    WALTUX 

tainly  seems  to  me  to  lead  necessarily  to  false  notions  of  one's 
situation.'* 

"Not  so;  nobody  ought  to  suffer  because  a  lady  keeps  the 
secret  of  her  betrothal.  The  gentleman  who  seeks  a  lady  must 
feel  his  way  cautiously.  His  first  approaches,  met  properly  by 
the  lady,  are  his  last,  and  there's  an  end  of  it.  Everything 
depends  upon  herself.  If  she  trifles  with  her  situation,  that  is 
quite  another  thing.  In  your  case,  my  dear,  there  can  be  no 
fears  of  this  sort." 

The  entrance  of  another  visiter  changed  the  subject.  Mrs. 
Ingliss,  who  now  joined  the  party,  was  a  genuine  patriot,  and  at 
present  under  special  annoyance.  She  had  some  of  the  more 
foppish  of  the  British  oflieers  billeted  upon  her,  among  whom 
was  the  famous  wit  of  the  garrison,  so  often  mentioned,  Harry 
Harry,  Esq.,  Major,  &c.  But  the  annoyance  was  not  greatly 
regretted  by  her  friends,  since  her  patriotism  enabled  her  upon 
occasion  to  turn  it  to  excellent  use.  Keeping  her  own  counsels, 
and  studiously  forbearing  to  offend  the  prejudices  of  tin-  enemy, 
she  inspired  them  with  a  certain  degree  of  confidence,  .'111(1  they 
spoke  very  freely  before  her.  By  this  means  >he  gathered 
many  items  of  intelligence,  which  found  their  way  to  our  circle 
of  female  conspirator*,  and  were  by  them  conveyed  to  the  par 
tisans.  Something  was  due  to  this  hidy,  accordingly,  and  it 
became  the  policy  of  our  patriots  to  afford  every  possible,  coun 
tenance  to  her  mode  of  housekeeping.  She  visited  the.  ladies 
of  both  parties,  and  thev  did  not  withhold  themselves  from  her 
assemblies.  Her  present  visit  was  to  Katharine  Walton.  It 
was  the  usual  formal  initial  call  preparatory  to  an  invitation  ; 
and  the  customary  preliminaries  being  dismissed,  Mrs.  Ingliss 
solicited  the  presence  of  our  heroine  at  her  house  on  the  ensuing 
evening.  Finding  Katharine,  hesitate,  Mrs.  Hrewton  interposed: 

44  Of  course  she  will  come,  Mrs.  Ingliss;  we  will  all  come. 
We  know  what  is  due  to  you,  and  we  shall  enjoy  ourselves 
rarely  with  your  lodgers.  Barry,  you  know,  is  my  delicate 
aversion.  I  approach  him  as  I  would  Tom  Singleton's  monkey, 
with  the  mood  to  torture  him  into  the  antics,  without  which  the 
beast  has  no  qualities.  We  will  come,  of  course." 

Mrs.  Singleton  gave  a  similar  assurance,  and   the  consent  of 


\DUALLY    DKV 

Katharine  followed.  Mrs.  Ingliss  did  not  lingci  long  after  thi>; 
and  when  she  departed  she  was  accompanied  by  tin-  lively 
widow.  Klla  Monckton  still  remained,  her  heart  tilled  with 
inexpressible  emotions.  She  had  spoken  little  during  the  con- 
etween  the  parties,  hut  her  interest  had  been  lively 
enough  in  all  that  had  been  said.  There  was  nothing  now 
wanting  to  confirm  that  wann  feeling  (if  sympathy  which  she 
had  begun  to  cheri.sh  for  the  character  of  Katharine.  rl'hat  the 
heart  of  the  latter  was  .juite  free  in  respect  to  Proctor  —  that 
there  was  no  possibility  that  the  parties  should  be  ever  more 
nearly  connected  with  each  other  than  they  were  at  present  — 

iviction  too  firmly  established   in    her  mind,  from  \\ 
she  had   heard,  to   suffer   any  future  doubts  or   misgivings  from 
that  Miuice. 

The   poor  girl  was,  for  the  time,  unreservedly  happy  in   thia 

.  iethni.      AVhen    she    was    about    to    go,   to    the    MM  j  rise    or 

Katharine,  she  threw  her  arms  about  the  neck  of  the  latter,  and 

'.••nately  ki>!-ed  her  cheek.      The  proceeding  was  so  unusual 

—  1O    unlike   everything  that    had   hitherto   marked  their   inter- 

M  —  that  for  a  moment  Katharine  absolutely  recoiled.     I'.ut 

in   the    next    in>tant,  as   she   saw  the    face   of   Klla  covered  uith 

blushes,  while   her  eyes,  gleaming  with  a  m<>st    unusual   hright- 

•  filled  with  the  biggest  drops,  she  took  the  tender 

prl  fondly  in   her  arms,  and    returned    her  kisses  with  a  ten 

:a  than  her  own.  She  could  only  account  f"f 
the  unwonte-l  warmth  of  her  companion  by  giving  her  credit  fur 
a  heart  of  very  irreat  sensibilities,  which  society  had  not  \  <•'. 
tutore  1  into  resen'e  and  caution.  Hut  the  scene,  almost  with 
out  w  >rds,  united  the  two  maidens  in  a  tie  very  superior  to  thai 
which  ordinarily  brings  persons  of  their  age  and  sex  together. 


278  KATHAKINK    WALTON. 


CHAPTER   XXIX. 

SWKKTHKAUT    AMI    STKKD    AT    STAKK 

Ol  R  scenes  arc  required  now  to  change  with  almost  panoramic 
rapidity.  The  night  of  the  day  on  which  the  proceedings  of 
our  last  chapter  took  place  was  distinguished  hy  a  grand  hall  at 
the  well-known  dwelling  of  ]\Irs.  Tidyinan,  in  Ladson's  court, 
then  occupied  hy  Biddulph,  the  paymaster  of  the  British  forces 
in  Carolina,  a  person  of  showy  and  expensive  habits,  who  lived 
in  great  style  upon  the  profits — since  vulgarly  styled  "  pickings 
and  stealings" — for  which  his  office  afforded  him  such  excellent 
facilities. 

The  court  was  lighted  up  with  great  splendor,  and  every 
apartment  of  the  house  was  filled  to  overflow.  Hither  came  all 
the  select  of  the  garrison,  all  of  the  loyalists,  male  and  female, 
and  a  very  few  of  the  whigs,  hut  those  only  who  were  too  timid 
to  refuse  an  invitation  which  might  reasonably  l>e  construed  into 
a  command.  There  was  one  exception,  among  those  who  did 
attend,  to  this  general  cla.ssiiiration  of  the  \\higs  present.  This 
was  Mrs.  IJrewton,  whose  talents  for  repartee  usually  saved  her 
from  any  annoying  assaults  on  the  score  of  her  patriotism,  and 
who  found  these  assemblages  very  favorable  to  her  desires, 
which  at  once  aimed  to  conceal  her  purposes,  and  to  a  fiord  them 
opportunities.  It  was  a  profound  policy  which  prompted  her 
desire  to  acquire  the  reputation  of  a  mere  lover  of  pleasure  ; 
while  the  boldness  with  which  she  declared  her  whigism  aloud 
was  almost  a  guarantee  to  the  enemy  that  they  had  nothing  to 
fear  from  her  secret  machinations. 

Here  ohe  met  General  Williamson,  and,  to  her  gurpriso,  wa§ 


8WEETHKAIM     A\i»    -IrKD    AT    STAKE.  'JT'J 

drawn  aside  l.y  liim    from  the    pies.*,  and    sounded    upon  various 
matters  which  only  did  not  openly  trench  upon  the  actual  issuoH 
between    the    parties.      Slie    ohserved    that    he  was    curious    and 
anxious,  and  that,  though  pO68e88ed  of  little  ingenuity  in  eoi 
sation,  he  yet  contrived,  through  the  very  necessity  in  which  he 
:,  to    throw    out    sundry  remarks,  which,  had    she   heeu   dis 
po>ed,  might  have  conducted   to   an    interesting  tdanct^t  nn /it. 
had    only  to  seize,  wiih  a  hold   asMimption,  upon  one  of  the 
two  susceptibilities  contained  in  some  of  his  equivoques,  to  ! 
found    tin1  way  clear   to  a  complete    development.      So,  at  h 

thought.      But,  predetermined  that  he  was  not  to  he  tru^ed, 

loathing    his   character   as    she    did,  she    availed    herself  of 

the  oppoitunities  which    lie    really  desired  to  aiVord  IMM. 

iiile  they  spoke  together,  however,  that  a  young  officer 

6  guards  named    Sadler,  ajiproached  them,  and.  addrc- 

.Mi>.   Brewton,  mentioned    that    he  was   ordered    to  Camdcn,  and 

the  citv  in  two  d;;vs.      !!<•    politelv  offered  to  • 

i    her  to  Mrs.  Motte  (her    h.Je    hushand's   sister  —  ai'ter- 

.'a'n  .us   in   story  for   confiding    to    Marion  the    how  and  ar- 

1-y  which    her   mansion-house  was   destroyed)  or    for  any 

r  of  her  friends   in   the   neighhorhoixl.      She    replied  in  her 

spirit  — 

"  I  thank   you,  lieutenant;    I  should  very  much  like  to  write, 
tut  really   I  have  no  wish    to  have    my  letters    read    at  the  head 
Marion's  hri^a  le." 

"  I»o  you    really  mean,  Mrs.  P.reuton.  that  1  am  in  dai.. 
falling  into  the  hands  of  the  rehel  J" 

uld    you    have    me    proj.hesy    more    clearly,   sir?      The 

ni  IIT    is    inevitahle.      It     is    your    fate.      I    see    it    as    clearly    in 

;,oui    fact    a-    i!'    I    read    it    in   your   palms.       1'  •     the    c.-m- 

•  •nd  somel.o.ly  el.-e.      Hi-  -ie.st iny  may  he  ntherwiiie 

J  rilten." 

Sadler  turned  o!V  in  a  hufY.      But  we    I  "ire  to  pause  in 

our   narrative  to  anticipate    the    rest  "f  t'  ; 

was  ically  captured    l,v  Singh-ton,  of  Marion's  hrigade  ;    and.  in 

two  w,-,-ks  af'er,  he    returned  to  (  'harh-st-  i-,  and    called  inn li- 

ately  upon    Mrs.  Breutoti    to    tl  Hfl 

fully  helieved    that    she  l..:d  cuntrix  rd    to  comey  intell 


280  KATHARIXK    WALTON. 

his  route  and  progress  to  the  partisans.  This  event  was  one  6l 
several  which  finally  provoked  the  British  authorities  to  expel 
the  lady  from  the  city. 

When  Sadler  had  retired,  Williamson,  with  evident  eagernest, 
remarked  — 

"  You  speak  with  confidence  of  the  whereabouts  of  Marion's 
brigade.  Is  your  confidence  the  result  of  shrewd  guessing,  or 
do  you  know " 

She  interrupted  him  quickly. 

"  It  is  prophecy,  sir.  I  am  anothei  Cassandra — doomed  to 
tell  the  truth,  and  not  to  be  believed  when  I  do  so.  This  poor 
lieutenant  only  goes  to  be  taken.  When  I  say  so,  I  obey  an 
irresistible  impulse,  which  I  certainly  believe." 

"Ah!  the  days  of  prophecy  are  not  ours!  We  should  hh.lt 
suspect  you  of  knowing  well  what  you  prophesy  so  boldly. 
Now,  my  dear  Mrs.  Brewton,  it  concerns  me  something  '•'  kno.v 
hnw  far  you  speak  from  a  knowledge  of  the  fact.  It  will  mate 
rially  aft'ect  my  habits  if  1  could  suppose  you  knowing  ratliei 
than  prophetic.  1  propose,  for  example,  to  take  my  usii.-il 
weekly  ride,  the  next  day,  or  the  day  after,  into  the  country, 
and " 

He  paused,  and  looked  exceedingly  sagacious  and  enceuia- 
ging.  She  replied  quickly  — 

"General  Williamson,  I  do  not  prophesy  for  everybody.     ] 
can  only  say  in  your  case  that,  should  yon  be  taken  by  Mar: 
men,  your  chance  of  being  kept  long  in  captivity  would  be  in 
finitely  less  than  that  of  this  beardless  lieutenant." 

For  a  moment  the  significance  of  this  answer  did  not  seem  to 
strike  her  companion.  When,  however,  the  full  meaning  flashed 
upon  him,  his  face  blackened  to  a  thunder-cloud. 

"Madam  —  Mrs.  Brewton  !"  he  exclaimed  —  then  stammered 
and  grew  silent,  lie  rose  abruptly  from  his  seat,  and  then 
returned  to  it,  his  features  somewhat  more  composed.  Looking 
at  her  with  an  earnest  glance,  he  resumed  — 

**  It  is  evident,  Mrs.  Brewton,  that  you  do  not  know  me.  You 
ftill  regard  me  as  an  enemy.  You  will  do  me  more  justice 
hereafter." 

"  Nay,  General  Williamson,  if  you  think  that  I  do  not  desire, 


8WKKTHKAKT    AND    3TBBD     \!     -T\KE. 

from  the  bottom  of  my    s<>nl.  to  SOP  justice  done   to  J   >u  do 

nut  knmv  n,r" 

This  was  as  bad  as  before.     He  turned  away  quickly,  saying — 
"  Very  well,   madam,  very    well!      Hut   you    will    yet    repent 
•  •xpressions!" 

hummed  gayly,  as  be  went,  tbe  refrain  of  an  old  ballad 
then  quite  popular — 

"  And  thej  bore  away  my  bonny  boy, 

An.l  they  bore  him  nway  to  th<>  fatnl  tre« 
Hri'-t   ?|i;if^  thev  i^avf  him  thi  n  t<>  prny — 
But  hie  latest,  hn-atli  it  w:is  breath. -d  for  • 

"  Jezabel  !"  was  the  single  word  of  Williamson,  as  be  heard 
the,  words,  and  disappeared  jn  the  crowd.  The  widow  saw  no 

••f  him  that  ni^ht. 

M-'.-inwhile,  the  dancinj;  had  begun,  and  the  •r.-iyly  raparisoT,- 
ed  kni^lits  and  damstds  whirled  about  the  apartment,  subject  to 
frequent  cMiu-ns^iMH  with  tin-  densely  packed  <:roujM  that  h.ukrd 
on  the  while.  Mrs.  r.rewton  became  the  centre  of  mir  of  thr-e 
inactive  ^nmpN  ;  bnt  it  was  no  silent  one. — The  events  of  tin- 
evening  bad  vexed  oil;.  !1  as  Williamson.  One  of; 

•  •what    famo.is    A  rbihald  Camp- 
hell,  better    known  as    Mad  Archy,  or  da/.y  ("\iinpbell,  a    wild, 
reckless,  harem-scarem    soldier,  who  atlltod  a    most  irregular   in 
ellect  to  a  most  darini;  courage  —  if,  indeed,  we  may  consistent- 
y  discover,    in    a  deficient    mind,  the  line    moral  virtue    which  is 

(escribed  a<  court 

iv  (Campbell  was  famous  for  doi::ur  «!esperato  thing!,      He 
v  iin.  rash,    headlong,  and    presumptuous,  and    much    f« 
as  a  tire-eater.      The  arguments  upon  which  he  relied,  in  all 

imiS,  were  the  bet  and  the    duell  I  md    mon 

ey,  equally,    on    his    sentiments    and    opinions,    was    hi*    f:l\ 
mode    of    pro\:ng    him>elf  ri;:ht.    and    makini:    liim-elf  so.       H,> 
had  hi-  virtnr  rOT  —  though,  by  tin-  way,  the  former 

not  always  considered  vices  OT  < 

WMiuen    rather    favored    him.    p  |    the    n:. 

him.      He  was    1.    ;    ;-  ,i,«l    «renerous,  and    Iryl   tip 

was  one  of  th  of  all  tl.  '  >ut  « 

favoi-ite   damsel   of  an  •  F.ight 


282  KATII.  \UTXI-:    WALTON. 


Mile  House,"  or  beyond.  to  (Innsc  Creek  —  makrtig  his  trottej 
iln  his  ton  miles  l»y  tin-  hour  —  was  with  him  a  sort  of  triumph 
which  made,  him  iiidifVereut  to  the  capture  of  posts  or  armies. 
His  great  amhition  was  social  coupiest.  To  come,  see,  and  con 
quer,  in  a  sense,  .somewhat  different  t'roin  that  of  Cesar,  was  his 
daily  aim.  And  lie  fancied  himself  always  successful. 

This  easy  assurance  led  him,  on  the  present  occasion,  into  an 
error  in  which  his  presumption  was  duly  mortified.  We  have 
spoken  elsewhere  of  Paulina  Phelps,  as  one  of  the  loyalist 
Mica  at  that  time  in  the  city.  She  was  a  very  pretty  girl,  live 
ly  and  intelligent  ;  her  charms  being  duly  increased  in  puhlic 
estimation  by  the  fact  that  she  was  the  heiress  to  a  very  hand 
some  fortune.  Mad  Archy  was  not  so  far  demented  as  to  be  in- 
sensihle  to  this  consideration.  He  was  accordingly  her  avowed 
suitor  and  constant  attendant.  She  did  not  discourage  his  at 
tentions,  as  she  was  not  the  person  to  he  regard  less  of  the 
devotion  of  a  young,  handsome,  and  high-spirited  gallant. 
Whether  she  encouraged  them  heyond  pioper  limits  is  a  ques 
tion.  It  is  certain,  however,  that  he  construed  her  good  humor 
and  indul^er.  -e  into  something  more  significant.  On  this  occa 
sion,  just  hei'ore  the  dancing  had  commenced,  and  while  she  ua.~ 
interested  in  the  conversation  of  a  very  graceful  gentleman,  one 
Captain  Harley,  who  had  recently  arrived  from  New  York,  Mad 
Archy  broke  in  upon  the  party  with  a  bound. 

"Gome,   Paulina,  Miss    Phelps,"  he  cried  ;    "  yorr   arm,  the) 
nre.  about  to  dance." 

The  lady  drew  up,  offended  with  this  freedom,  and  somewhat 
disdainfully  answered  — 

•«  You  mistake,  Major  Campbell  ;    I  am  not  engaged  to  dance 

with   t/nv" 

•  <  I-:i,  !  _  TIO  !  —  what  !"   he  replied,   astonished.     "  Not  dance 

with  me  !" 

"  No,  Bir." 

"  You  refuse  me,  Paulina  !    You  are  capricious,  M«HH  Phelps!" 

"And  yon  presumptuous,  Major  Campbell  !" 

"The  devil  you  say  !"    cried  Campbell,  abruptly;    and,  tun 
ing  with  a  rude  stan-  to  Harley,  he  cried  aloud— 

—  -  "  •    I  ,>t  ,„«.  s,.<.  the  iiijui  who  will  da::re  with  you  to-night" 


SWK!  TIIKAUT    AND    >TKKI>    AT    BTA1 

At  these  irorcls,  with    p-e   t  ease,  dignity,  and    self 
Captain  llarley  said — 

"  May  I   haye  tin-  honor  of  l»t»in^  your  partner   in  this  dance, 

phciptr 

The  lady,  still  smarting  mxier  Campbell's    insolence,  in-tinet- 
ively  ro.se  and  took  the  arm  of  the  other.      The  action  confound 
ed  Mad  Archy,  who,  for  a  moment,  knew    not  what  to   sav.      It 
in  this  mood  that  hi1  w;is    joined  hy  tin1  ]  Mef- 

makers  of  the  garrison.  Major  Stock  and  otliers. 

"I 'one    tor.    Archy!"    cried    St.»rk,    with    a    p'in.       "Clearly 
cut — made  do^'s  meat  of,  and  no  hurial  sen •'• 

"  I'll  punish  her!"   exclaimed    Archy  with    an  oath.       "And 
r  Harley.  I'll  teach    him  surh  a  le.->on  as  will  cure    his  l->ve 
.. incin^  from  now  to  doomsday.      l.ook  you,  Stoc-k  ;   you  will 
take  my  message  to  him  in  the  morning." 

"  You  will  do  no  such    thing,    Major    Stuck."  said    the    willow 
Hrewton.  who  had  overheard  ever}   syllable.     "  It'  Archy  Camp- 
hell  will  he  a    fool,  with    malice    prepense    and    aforetli 
the  lawyers  say,  there's  no  reason  that  you    should  proye    yo»r- 
Helf  an  ;,  .  rither  after  or  In-fore  the  fact." 

41  Tun  my  soul,  madam,  you  ;ire  hold."  cried  Campln-ll. 

"  What  !     to  '  :er  as    y.iiir.-elf .'      l.ook  you. 

Major  Camphcdl.  if  you  an-  so  totally    withuiit    iVien-K    a>  t 
al-le  to  hear  tin1  truth  from    nope  hut  a  woman's    mouth,    hear  it 

mine.      Let  me  tell    you  that  t!  e.\tra<>rdina; 

nown  in  l»ein^  considered  tin-  madman.  /><ir  <-s«!lfi»r,  of  a  I 
hilly  -rarrison  of  foot  and  h«r-e.      KfiiuMnher.  moren\er.  that  no 
decree  of  folly  and  madness  will  excuse  brutality." 

"  Hnit;ili«y,  madam,"  cried  Campbell,  fiercely. 

"  Kven  10,  NT.      There  is    no  ntlu-r    word  half  so    aj.j.r.'j.i  iate 

r    present  Qte*.       You    have  I'een  piilty  •  : 

against  all  the  |inijirirtii->.  and  must  not  make  still 

more  enormous.      You  haye  outra^rejl    the  s«-n.si!.ilities  «l'  a 
whom    you    |)i-"fe>s    tn    admin  .  and    ha\r  •!    uji«.n  ; 

\ery  \\  «-akne>^e>  ..f  her    B61   wbicb  .should    ha  . 
rities  against  ofl'ence.      Y«»n  mu>t  not  I'.-.rtln-i — y«>u  »//<//, 

ni.t — in    the    same    ei  ,  V.iiran   not  <in.invl  \\itli 

Captain    Harlev    \\itlnmt    ad-'in^    .still    farther    to  tl  .\\\y. 


284  KATHARI  vi-: 

Hi-  could  do  no  less  than  lie  has  done  under  the  circumstances; 
and.  if  you  cannot  emulate,  at  leaM  learn  to  respect  his  deport 
ment." 

"Upon  my  soul,  Mr<.  lirewtoii,  you  queen  it  most  rovally!  You 
say  I  x/uilliu>\,  and  I  mn*t  not  ;  but,  madam,  suppose  I  sav,  in  an 
swer,  that  I  will!" 

"  Why,  then,  sir,  I  shall  only  have  mistaken  the  nature  of  the 
animal  that  I  have  sought  to  tame." 

"  Well,  madam,  and  pray  what  animal  was  that?" 

"  A  lion,  sir;  at  worst  a  royal  tiger  —  " 

"Well,  madam?—" 

"And  not  a  bear  —  not  an  —  " 

She  paused.      He  spoke  — 

"Not  an  a<s,  you  would  say!" 

"  1J«  ally,  sir.  your  instincts  are  sufficiently  ,trood,  whatever  may 
he  the  condition  of  your  wits." 

11  IJy  Jove,  Mrs.  IJrewton.  you  are  too  hard  upon  me!  liut 
you  have  courage.  madam,  and  coura-e  is  a  virtue  -  and  I  like  vou 
neverlhelr«.  Hut  I  can't  submit  to  this  ;  and  I  be«r  that  you  will 
inter/ere  no  farther.  I  will  shoot  this  fellow,  Ilarley.  or  pink 
him—" 

•  you  won't,  unless  you  really    have   resolved   to   -:ive   up  the 


"  How?" 

"  Take  another   step  in    this   business,  and    you    lose  her  fo'-  ever. 

Behave  like  A  man  of  sense  and  proper  feeling,  And  if"  \ou  <\cr  had 

a  chance  of  success  you  will  certainly  increase  it.  (Jo  to  her  —  seek 
your  opportunity  —  become  the  penitent  —show  that  you  regard 
her  feeling  as  well  as  your  own  -  that  you  are  prepared  to  sacrifice 
your  feelin-s  for  hers  and  you  will  make  a  more  favorable  ini 
pn  —  ion  on  her  than  you  ever  made  In-fur.-.  " 

ll«-  hesitated,  and  shook  hi.x  head. 

"  Do  you  really  love  the  lady  ?" 

.  Mr-.  Brewton,  as  tbe  apple  of  raj 

"Then,  do  as  I  tell  you.  even  though  you  should  lose  the 
apple  of  your  eye.  Proceed  to  bully  her,  or  her  present  attend 
ant,  and.  if  she  have  any  spark  of  feeling  or  of  spirit,  she  will 
spurn  yon  with  loathing  from  her  sight.  Go,  now,  seek  your 


SWEETHEART    \\ 

opportunity  —  do  not  despair  if  you  111:1, 

ter,   indeed.   m»t    try  to-niirlit,    but   IK-  MMV  ; 

aineiuU  to  ninrro\\  .  ami   liy  the  \vay.  it  v%ould   he  well  to  ni:ike 

tleinanly  term-  with  this  Captain  Ilarley — 

"Oli!  l»y  .  :i't  do  that!  hut    I   thank   you  wton. 

.  our  counsel.  I  do1     I'.y  tin-   Kternal!  madam,  you  have  the 
of  a  war  hor-e;  and  I  honor  \«MI.  madain.  thou-h  T'm  afraid 

•  A :.>!  ''••    "  k  of  it."  sh-  '.  <|iii<-tly. 

ek    had     heard    the    hetter    j-art    of     ti.  -itioli. 

tl»ouLrh  pulled  this  way  and   that  hy  >oine  old   ladies  v.  ho  wi-hed   for 
n  fr.'-hinents. 

•  •  \\"ell."  said    he.   when    Mad    Arehy  had    joined    him.    "iO    'I'" 

|  <>ur  ease  in  hand.      It  will  he  \\ell   : 

roun-i  Is  rightly.       V«m  <Mii't  call   out   thi*  fellow.  Ilarley.  \vln- 
juily   I'layed    liand-oine  a!    \«-ur  •  'ill  run   yi>ui    i 

.nfortunatc.      I  think  th-  with 

th--  I'help-  after  thi-1     You've  ],^\  hi  r.  my  hoy.  for  e\ 
••  Whal'll  you  het  I  don't  dance  with  her  to  niirhf.'" 

teeaa  on  it1 " 

,   for  another;  what'll  you   1-et  1  don'!    maiT]    Inr'.'" 
"  Fifty  LMiineas  anain^t  your  trotter." 
"  It's  an  even  go,      NOW  look  to  it ;   for,  as  sure  as  thin. 
'•oth  the  iiirl  and  the  iruii 

'  the  one  and   you  L-et  the  olher."  <  •  and   tin-  \ 

'ed.  each  BO  kin-  dill'erent  avenuex  :UM,,II-  ti,' 


K  ATM  A  HI  \  i:    \\-  \  |.r.  i\. 


CHAPTER.  A  .\  X. 

CARTEL, 

Tin:  equally  restless  and  benevolent  spirit  of  Mrs.  Brewton  was 
not  satistied  to  administer  to  Mad  Arcl.y  Campbell  alone  the  coun 
sels  accessary  to  propriety.  At  an  early  hour,  after  the  Interview 
with  him,  he  BOUght  out  the  fair  object  of  his  temporary  resent- 
nient. 

11  Paulina,  my  dear,"  she  heiran.  "you  have  -reatly  jrrjla,(.(j 
Archy  Campbell." 

"  Well,  he  deserves  it,"  was  the  replv. 

"I  think  it  very  likely;  but  are  you  prepared  for  all  the  conse 
quent  es  of  his  ail^erV" 

"  I  ilnii'l  sec  how  it  is  to  allect  ;/„." 

"Well,  in   re-ard   to  yourself  I   can  say  nothin.ir.      I   know  IK,I  in 

what   «h-»ive  you   an-   interested    in    him.      It    jx   v,  , -y   certain   that    he 

i-eatly    Interested     ill    //">/.   and    I     much    fear    that    any   unusual 

harshiu-  ,.;,  you,  ,,.,,-,    wm    on]y  (1,.}v(.    hin)   in|n  Iniv(. ,,;,;,•        ,    .(M1 

afraid    that    he  will    force  a  dud   upon   this  newl  .iiUcman, 

Captain  llarley." 

"God  forbid!"  exclaimed  the  other. 

"  Let   me  heir  that   ///;//   will  forl.id  also.        I  am  sure,  uidess  you  are 
at  <«.me  pains   to  h,.  civil  to  your  suitor,  that  <uc],  will   lie  tin- event 
You    may  hr  quite  <-\\\\.  and  disarm   his  aiiycr.  without  eommittiim- 
\« 'in-self  in  any  wa  \ 

The  n-xiili  ,,f  the  conversation,  thus  be^un.  was  satisfactor\  ; 
an. I,  whether  Paulina  really  felt  an  interest  or  not  in  Campbell. 
v|"'  determined  to  adopt  a  eour-e  ],-s  calculated  to  provoke  \\\  + 

in-itahle   nature   into   excess  and    dolence,     The  consequence  of 


:  KL. 

this  ;  HI  was  made  apparent  to  Mrs.  Urewton  wi:hin  the 

next  half  hour,  \\hen  Major  Stock  approached  her,  with  no  ! 
ill    humor,  and    pointing   to  Campbell    and    Paulina,  enga-ed    in 
the  mazes  of  the  dance,  said  — 

*'I  owe  it  to  you,  Mrs.  Hrewton,  that  I  am  live  guineas  nun-i* 
•lit." 

Both  Stock  and  Mrs.  Hrewton    remained    long   enough    to  dN 

:   that  Campbell  was  re.-tored  to  his  UMial  good  humor;    the 

behavior    of    Paulina    being    such    as    to    encourage    him    in    the 

highest    hopes    for    the    future.      He    had  won    his  tir*t  bet;    that 

iiimblingly  acknowledged  by  Stock. 

"  Hut  don't  deceive  yourself,"  said  the  latter.      "  You  o 
only  to    the  good  nature  of  the  girl.      She  saw  that  you  \\e: 
a  devil  of  a  sulk,  and  knowing  what  a  mad   L-  .hen 

in  an  ill  humor,  she  was  afraid  that  you'd    be  venting   your  fury 
upon  her  new  favorite.      Mr*.  Hrewton  did  this  fo-  you.      1   OV6I 
heard  her.      But    I    .shall    li.,\e  your  trotter  for  all  that.      If. 
woman  was  taken  with  a  fellow,  *he  is  with  llarley." 

"l>o   yon    think    I    fear    him  f"    cried    Campbell,    exultingly. 
"  I'll  have  her  in  spite  of  all  the  llarleys  in  creation.      Will 
go  another  I'.l'ty  guineas  on  it  /" 

"No,"  was   the  reply.      "I  don't    know  where  you'd    find   tlrv 
money.      The  hor>e  \\ill  be  loss  enough  for  you  at  present  —  and 

the  disappointment" 

With  -ath,  Campbell  broke  away  to  e*cort  Paulina  to 

her   carria-e.      He    returned,  after  a    lew  moments,  in    incre 
spirits,  and  in  good  humor  with  all  the  world  —  being  particularly 
civil    to  Harley  himself,  whom    he    found  ^  with    Stock 

and  others  over  the  decanters.     Ha:Vy  was  quiet,  digi. 
.ved,  in   his   deportment.      It   wa*  obMTVad  that  he  - 
, -humored    remark    made    him    by   Campbell,   contrivii 
un.-wer  somebody  else  at  the  moment. 

"  You  design  no  quarrel  with    this   man,  Harley  t"   said 
to  Campbell,  as  they  left   the  h»  u-r. 

"No.      Why  should  I  f"    was  the  I      •  fellow  wai 

right  enough;    ami  if  anybody  had  cau*e  of 
person.      1    threatened    all    the  world,  and    looked    into    hi> 
while  I  did  so." 


288  KATHAlMXi:    \V ALTON. 

It  was  while  Stock  was  busy  over  a  late  breakfast,  the  ne*4 
morning,  that  mad  Archy  bounced  in  upon  him. 

"  Look  at  that!"   said  lie,  throwing  down  a  billet. 

"  Kb  !  by  the  powers!"  exclaimed  Stock,  reading  the  hillet. 
"  This  is  bringing  the  mill  to  the  grist !" 

It  was  a  cartrl  from  Ilarley.     The  tables  were  turned. 

44  Prompt  and  cool,  eh  ?"  said  Campbell.  "  Who'd  have 
thought  it?  The  fellow  has  blood,  that's  certain." 

44  By  ,J«>ve,  yes  !  A  positive  demand  ;  no  sneaking  invitation 
lo  the  pacific.  Well,  what  have  you  done?" 

44  Referred  his  friend  to  you.     Major  Ponsonbly  acts  for  him." 

44  Then  it  is  business.     Well,  what  will  you  have  ?" 

"  The  small-sword,  and  as  soon  as  you  please;  but  not  witliiu 
the  next  three  days." 

"How!  It  will  get  abroad.  Why  not  this  afternoon  or  to 
morrow  I  The  sooner  the  better  !" 

44  All  true  ;  but  I  requhv  two  days,  at  least,  for  my  marriage." 

-  IMiaw  !  are  you  so  absurd  as  to  dream  of  that?" 

"  AliMiid  !  Do  you  suppose  1  mean  to  lose  my  trotter,  or  to 
forego  your  guineas?  No!  no,  Stock  !  I  shall  have  my  girl 
and  your  gold,  or  hold  me  a  spooney.  After  that  shall  Mr. 
Ilarley  have  his  desires,  not  before." 

"He  will  find  his  patience  fail  in  waiting,  if  you  hope  for 
Paulina  Phelps  before  you  fight." 

"Never  yu  fear!  Make  your  arrangements;  but  hot  to 
take  effect  before  Saturday.  I  insist  only  on  the  small-sword. 
Make  the  arrangements  accordingly — place  and  time,  at  his 
pleasure,  or  yours." 

"  Very  good  !  You  are  only  a  shade  madder  than  I  thought 
you.  Do  you  go  to  Mrs.  Ingliss's  to-night  ?" 

"  Where  else  ?     I  dance  with  Paulina  in  the  first  quadrille." 

44  And  her  consent  to  this  has  led  you  to  assume  all  the  rest ! 
What  a  vain  dizzard  you  are !" 

"  Look  you,  Stock,  get  your  guineas  out  of  the  pay-chest.  I 
shall  need  them  all  in  two  days  more.  The  money  is  mine,  I 
tell  you." 

"  Speak  out  honestly  ;  has  she  consented  to  the  marriage?  ' 

"No;  but  7  have!" 


CARTEL. 

Get    you    -"iu\  and    §ee    I-Yam-isi-o    at    ' 
room.      You  may  need  a  little  81  "tli  tin-  weapon." 

"N't  a  hit  of  it.  I  shall  touch  no  sword,  and  think  of  no 
fi^lit.  until  I  am  a  married  man." 

"Hark!    there's  a  rap.      No  doubt  our  rustmncr.      J't-^imo  !" 

:  \-ant    entered    at    this   moment,  and   announced    "  Maj.«r 
Pontonby.M 

"  1  Ir's  prompt.     That's  handsome  !"   said  ramphell.     "(Ju-.d 

•^tock,  an  1  MM'  that  you  p-t  the  guineas." 

(\-imjih(dl  and  Ponsonhy  passi-ii  rarh  othi-r  at  the  rntranre 
with  a  l»o\v  and  a  smile;  and  the  former  hail  scarcely  rounded 
the  next  s<pi;ire,  hetore  the  two  seconds  had  arranged  the  meet 
ing  tor  the  ensuing  Saturday,  at  five  in  the  afternoon,  sworn* 
the  weapons,  the  jdaee  a  well-known  j^rove,  just  without  the 
lines,  on  the  banks  of  Cooper  river. 

13 


K  \THAUI\K    WALTON. 


CHAPTER    XXXI. 

KAKKY,    AS    A    MTLPTOR. 

THAT  night  boili  the  principals  wort-,  to  be  seen  at  tin1  patty 
•  l'  Mrs.  Ingliss,  as  cool  and  happy  as  if  their  immunities  of  lite 
were  hiMired  in  the  look  of  Fate  for  the  next  hundred  years, 
it  was  observed  that  they  treated  each  other  with  especial  good 
humor  and  courtesy.  lint  llarley  bit  his  lip  when  he  beheld 
his  rival  leading  out  the  fair  Paulina  the  first  into  the  ring;  and 
his  vexation  \\  as  not  a  whit  lessened  to  perceive  the  smiling 
grace  with  which  the  damsel  welcomed  the  attentions  of  her 
gallant.  Mad  Archy  could  not  forbear,  ill  the  exultation  of  his 
spirit,  casting  a  mischievous  glance  of  triumph  at  his  disappointed 
enemy.  llarley  saw  and  understood  the  meaning  of  the  glance, 
and  he  resolved  to  be  as  merciless  in  the  duel  as  his  rival  wa> 
in  the,  dance.  lie  soon  sought  his  present  consolations  in 
another  quarter  of  the  apartment,  and  being  as  cool  and  cour 
teous  as  brave  —  affecting,  indeed,  something  of  the  prcit.r  <!HT<I- 
///v — he,  very  quickly  joined  in  the  measured  maxes  of  the 
whirling  parties,  coupled  with  a  partner  whose  bright  eves  kept 
his  own  too  busv  to  sillier  him  to  see,  the  happiness  which  he 
envied  in  his  neighbors. 

The  scene  of  festivity  on  this  occasion,  the  dwelling  of  Mrs. 
IngliRS,  is  yet  conspicuous,  a  fine,  airy  mansion,  scarcely  looking 
90  antique  as  lofty,  in  Oueen  street,  directly  opposite  Friend,  in 
the  venerable  city  of  Charleston.*  It  was  illuminated  for  the 
occasion  from  t«-p  to  bottom.  The  region  west  and  north  of  it 
held  but  few  houses,  and  an  ample  garden,  in  both  these  quarters, 
richly  lighted  up  also,  exensetl  and  lamps  being  sprinkled 
*  Now  in  tin-  possession  of  Mr.  Williaui  Knston. 


r.ARRY,  AS  A  SCULPTOR.  V'.'l 

quite  freely  among   the  shrubs   and    orange-trees.      Beyond    this 
garden,  on  the  south,  the  view  WHS  almost  unbroken  to  the  river ; 
a  smooth  esplanade  spreading  down   to   the   green   skirts  of    salt 
marsh  which  bordered  the  Ashley  on  the  east.     The  whole  scene 
one  of  great  beauty,  and  the  soft  airs  from  thcsouthw. 
delieiously  among    the   chambers,  in    grateful    unison    with    the 
moonlight  and  fragrance  whirh  surrounded  them.     The  com; 
was  not  In  the  mood  to  suffer  these   lu.\u;ics    to    escape    tln-m. 
They  gave  themselves  up  to   in  -•njoyment,   or    at    1 

seemed    to  do    so;  the  secret  care  at   the   hearts  of  many   1 
hushed   into   repose,   or  disguised   beneath  that  social   ma>k  whieh 
so  frequently  shelters    the  wounds  of    sensibility  and    the  volca 
noes  of   passion.      The    lower   apartments    and    the    pin. 
yielded  up  to  the  dancers.     The  gra\  of  the  party  I 

grouped  here  and    there    among    them,    as   spectators,   or    congre 
gated  in  the  upper  rooms.     Some   di-per-ed  th-  ftbottt  the 
garden,    and    love  and    sentiment,    and    mere   humor   and    pol: 
found  each  some  fitting   place  or  subject  for  • 

ing  the  gay  groups   below,    let  us  ascend    to   the   front  or 
southern  apartment    in    the    second    story.     Here    we    find    Mrs. 
Ingliss    with    her    more    ancient    guests.       With   these 
Singleton   and    Katharine    Walton,    both  quietly   seated,  the   latter 
with  an   admiring  circle,  small,   but  dutiful,   in   close  a" 
11- re   was  to  be  seen  Colonel   Cnuleii,    as  her  guardian,   di-: 
and  complacent       IJalfour,  to    the   surprise  of  all,  failed  to    i; 
his  appearance.       Here,    too,   at  intervals   in   the   dancing.    Major 

:  ry  was  most    obsequious    in    his  wrfloej   and   pas-: 
chamber  to  chamber,  the   oy   groups   loiti  red   with  that    nti 
feeling,  a  pleasant  sort  of  discontent,    which,    perhaps,   at  places 
of   this   sort,    furnishes    the    be^t    stimulus  to   plea.-i;:  .<  ite 

ment.  We  shrill  certainly  not  s<  i-k  to  detain  the  reader  \\ith 
such  general  descriptions  as  h<  lily  imagine  for  him 

self,  but  shall  detach,  for  his  benefit,  from  the  events  of  the 
evening,  such  as  bear  more  or  less  directly  upon  the  progress  of 
our  history. 

We  have  glanced  at   Major    Hair.  tbfl   guest-.      It   must 

not  lye  forgotten   that   the   house   of    '  iss  was    his    place 

of  lodging.     In  the  distribution  of   abodes  for  the    T.ritMi  oil 


292  K  \ THAI; INK  WALTON. 

after  the  conquest  of  the  city,  he  ha«l  been  billeted  upon  hei , 
This  lady,  as  we  liave  seen,  was  a  good  patriot;  but  she  wao 
treated  civilly  by  Barry,  and  his  harmless  vanity,  and  almost 
unvarying  good  humor,  Inclined  her  in  his  favor.  She  rather 
liked  him  than  otherwise,  though  she  never  spared  her  censure 
of  his  conduct  whenever  it  deserved  rebuke. 

It  happened,  at  one  of  these,  pauses  of  the  dance  this  evening, 
that  Barry  drew  nigh  to  the  group  about  Mrs.  Ingliss,  with 
whom  we  found  Bin. Singleton  and  Katharine.  Walton.  He  was 
then  officiating  as  one  of  the  numerous  fvrli'ge  of  the  fashiona 
ble  widow  Rivington.  Hither,  also,  drew  nigh  our  other  fa 
mous  widow,  Mrs.  Brewton.  Close  behind  her  followed  Captain 
M'Mahon,  Barry's  shadow,  who  was,  or  affected  to  be,  very  earn 
est  in  supplicating  Mrs.  LJfeWtOU  for  some  favor  or  some  act  of 
forbearance.  But  she  was  obdurate,  and  broke  into  the  circle 
of  which  Barry,  though  quite  jn-titc  of  person,  was  the  somewhat 
conspicuous  object. 

"Major  Barry,"  observed  Mrs.  Brewton,  "you  must  positively 
cut  Captain  M'Mabon." 

"Fie!  Mrs.  Brewton!"  implored  M'Mahon. 

44  Why'/"  was  Barry's  inquiry. 

"He  is  no  friend  of  yours." 

"  I  no  friend  of  Major  Barry  !  1  am  the  only  friend  he  l»a« 
in  the  world." 

"Heaven  help  him,  then  !  The  sooner  he  hangs  himself  the 
bettei.  But  I  speak  the  truth,  lie  has  proved  it  to  me  most 
conclusively." 

"And  how,  Mrs.  Bre.wton '/"  was  the  inquiry  of  Barry,  begin 
ning  to  be  quite  curious, 

"  In  striving  to  hide,  your  light  under  his  bushel." 

"  In  plain  terms,"  said  Major  Stock,  "standing  with  his  big 
1  ead  between  vou  and  the.  candle." 

"  Something  worse  than  that,"  responded  the  widow.  "  We 
all  know  that  Major  Barry  is  botl.  wit  and  poet.  He  is  continu 
ally  doing  something  very  brilliant  and  grateful  to  Apollo.  A 
true  friend  would  be  anxious  that  the  world  should  be  put  in 
possession  of  these,  good  things;  yet  here  is  Captain  M'MahoD 
studiously  suppressing  them — " 


:v.    \     i   M  ULPTOR.  298 

"Which   means,"  k,   ".showing  them  to  everybody 

under  an  injunction  ofiftCIBOy." 

i>rl\.     Now  this  is  treachery  to  one's  friend  and  trcach- 
ci  v  to  the  public." 

be  sure,"  said  Stock;   "particularly  as  the  friend  knowi 
all  about  it.  and  the,  world  don't  care  a  button  to  know." 

"Oh,  what  a  malignant  !''  cried  Mrs.  Uivington. 

Mrs.  Brewton  continued  — 

i  arc  mistaken  quite,  Major  Stock.  The  world  docx  care 
to  knew.  At  all  events,  it  should  be  protected  from  painful  sur 
prises.  Now.  if  Major  Harry's  friend  would  honestly  publish  hifl 
.  thin-rs  in  tie  'Royal  (Jaxette,*  I  could  read  them  or  not,  at 
my  pleasure;  but  when  his  friend  makes  me  a  sort  of  confidant, 
and  forces  upon  ii:  •.  there  is  a  double  injury  done  to  me 

and  to  the  public.  The  p"sse~-i  m  of  a  secret,  to  a  woman,  is  a 
sort  of  temptation  to  sin;  and  I  will  not  be  forced  to  keep  that 
of  Captain  M'Mahon  or  his  friend,  Major  Harry.  Here,  now,  in 
a  new  epigram  of  the  major's,"  holding  up  a  paper. 

•'  Read  it  ! — read  it  !"  was  the  cry  from  a  doy.fn  voices. 

"Oh,  don't!"  appealed  the  author,  in  treble  t 

"Oil,  don't  !"  echoed  M'Mahon,  in  tones  quite  as  feeble. 

"It  appears,"  continued  the  widow,  "  that  Major  Harry  ban 
been  honored  with  the  pit  of  a  pair  of  slippers,  wrought  by  the 
fair  hands  of but  that  is  a  lady's  secret,  and  must  not  be  re 
vealed  by  <»ne  of  her  sex.  His  acknowledgment  for  this  gift  is 
contained  in  the  following  very  felicitous 

"Buzz!  bu/.x  !  buxx  !"  went  round  the  circle,  Harry  and 
M'Mahon  both  striving,  but  very  inadequately,  to  increase  the 
confi: 

"(»h.  I  won't  read  till  we  have  perfect  silence,"  said  Mrs. 
Brewton. 

And,  with  the  words,  our  two  Arcadians  were  the  first  h) 
With   ch-ar  tones,  and   mock   heroic   manner,  she  then  read  the 
following  —  epigram,  we  .suppose,  it  mu>t  be  called:  — 

" Ti.  Mi--  I'li.li.-  —  — ,  in  ruiuplinuMit  for  a  pair  of  slipi^r*.  wrought 
by  her  own  li.m.l>:  — 

**  Woman,  of  oM,  with  wondrous  art, 
Wa»  htill  cont.nt  to  xnare  the  heart, 


294  KATHAKIXK    WALTON. 

But  now  h.  i   inoiv  nmliitioi;- 

IH  conquest  o'er  the  very  soul  (solcf); 

No  more,  with  understanding  sure, 

Man  walks  the  earth  lu-  ruled  of  yore; 

On  \\Vi\\i\AeT  footing  now  he  stands, — 

His  footstep*  tuken  through  her  hand*. 

His  sole  (soul  f)  enmeshed,  her  happy  snares 

At  least  protect  from  toils  and  tears  (taretf) 

Nor  all  form  it  II»T  ancient  art, 

Still  through  the  soul  o'ercomes  the  heart" 

*'  Is  that  all  ?"  demanded  Stock,  as  the  lady  paused. 

"All!" 

*' Certainly  t_<it  mountain  suffered  grievously  from  thai 
mouse!"  cried  Stock.  "Positively,  there  should  he  some  en 
actment,  some  heavy  penalty  against  this  cruel  repetition  of 
ancient  puns.  I  am  against  yon,  Mrs.  Brewton.  Jf  you  can 
really  satisfy  me  that  M'Mahon  honestly  desired  to  keep  secret 
these  verses  when  he  communicated  them,  then  shall  1  aver  that 
he  was  a  better  friend  to  Major  Barry  than  Barry  himself." 

"Oh  hush!"  cried  Mrs.  Rivington.  "You  are  too  barbarous 
for  a  critic,  Major  Stock." 

"Grant  you,  ma'am;  hut  not  too  much  so  for  a  friend." 

"  Cynic  !  —  but  here  come  the  waiters.  We  have  need  of  cor 
dials  and  comfits  to  take  the  bitter  from  our  mouths." 

And,  with  these,  words  from  Mrs.  Rivington,  the  assault  tem 
porarily  ceased  upon  Barry.  The  circle  opened  to  receive  tha 
servants,  hearing  splendid  and  massive,  silver  trays  and  salvers 
containing  refreshments.  These  consisted  of  jams  and  jellies, 
pines,  bananas,  and  other  West  India  fruits,  cordials  and  lemon 
ade  ;  and  sundry  more  potent  beverages  for  the  stronger  heads 
of  the  military.  It  would  surprise,  a  modern  assembly,  in  the 
same  region,  to  behold,  in  the,  centre,  of  such  a  service,  an  im 
mense  bowl  of  punch,  the  chief  ingredients  of  which  were,  old 
Jamaica  rum  and  cngniac,  of  nearly  eijual  virtue. 

While  the  gentlemen  served  the  ladies,  without  finally  forget 
ting:  themselves,  the  ryes  of  the  company  were  directed,  by 
some  remark  of  Mrs.  Rivington,  to  a  good-looking  young  negro 
boy  of  sixteen,  in  the  livery  of  Barry  —  a  blue  ground,  with 
gcarlet  facings. 


I:AI:I:V.    IS    \    -«  ULPTOR. 

'  Hv    (In-    way,"    said    the    fashionahle    widow,  quite    ahruptly, 

where  ilid  you  pick  up  tliat  clever  hoy,  Major  Harry  {" 

The  question  was  so  sudden,  and  Harry's  consciousness  at  the 
moment,  so  quick,  that  lu*  answered  confusedly — 

"Me.  Mrs.  Kivinjrtnn  ?  —  that  boy  —  where  did  I  ^et  that  hoy? 
Why,  I  made  him."* 

A  solemn  hush  succeeded  this  strangely  equivocal  answer. 
The  elderly  ladies  looked  ^rave,  and  the  younger  vacant.  A 
hoisterous  l;'.ti^h  from  Stock  added  to  the  confusion. 

"A  hetter   piece   of  work,  hy  all   odds,  than    the   epigram.      I 
•llOttld  greatly  thank   you   to   make  me  a  hundred  or  two  of  the 
animal,  out  ot' the  same  sort  of  ehonv." 

Barry  had,  l>v  this  time,  recovered  himself.  The  little  wit 
found  it  neces-ary  to  j>ut  a  hold  face  on  the  matter,  and  to  exer 
cise  his  ingenuity  for  his  escape  from  his  hlunder. 

"And  then-  uordd  he  no  pvat  diiiiculty  in  the   matter  it'  you 
!ia\e  the  necessary  amount  of  faith.      Faith    is   the    i:reat    »• 
tial.      The   fact  i.s  that,  .some    tinn-   a^ni,  hajipenin^   to    he    in   the 
neighborhood  of  Monk's  Corner.   I  thirsted  for  a  draught  of  io,,| 
f    iV.  in    a    nei^hhorin^  hrooklet.      Hut   I  did  not  wish  to  u,-t 
my  feet  in  ^ettinjj;  at  it,  so  I  looked    ahout    me;    and  just  1" 
me  noted  a  tract  of  tin'  liojj  of  the  most  ivory  smoothness  and  as 
hlack  as  jet.     •  N-.w,'  said   1,  'will   I   see  what  faith  \vi'l  perfoi'm.' 
I  I  Up  tome   of  the   earth,  which  v.  ;ud   pliant.      I 

moulded  it  into  the  form  and  features  of  a  handsome  h.,y.  I  then 
devoutly  concentrated  my  will  upon  it,  and  I  said  —  repeating 
tin-  ahracadahra.  and  otlu-r  potent  formula  of  ancient  ma^ie  — 
•  K  B  Up,  Ctottriot'  and  theieup.'ii  |i(>  r«.s(..  a  pMid-lookin^  lad 
en<uiLrh.  as  you  see  him  now.  and  quite  creditahle  to  »ne  aa  ft 
sculptor." 

"A  round   ahout  v.  .     .  M  .L'letoii.  in 

.  TICS  almost  audilile  tr»  the  cin  le,  "  oi'  tellih^  u.-,  he  stole  him 
somewhere  near  Monk's  Corner." 

"There's    no    en<i  rceries.       Captain    M'Mahon, 

your  friend  needs  a  new  title." 

•This  nnywt-r  wn-*  r.-ally  Lriv.-ii  I.y  I '.  u  TV.  'I'll.-  n.'.-n«f«  of  thin  story, 
which  occur  in  Omi  •  ,  na  lh« 

wer«  tnoatiy  r«al  and  well-kitu 


296  KATHARIXK    WALTON. 

••Ah!      What,  major?" 

"  Henceforth  let  him  be  known  as  the  Ethiopian  Prometheus." 

The  name  stuck  to  the  major  tor  a  long  time  afterward  —  cer 
tainly  as  long  as  the  negro  did. 

A  crash  of  plates  and  glasses  interrupted  the  scene,  and  fur 
nished  an  excuse  to  Barry  for  leaving  the  circle.  His  newly  - 
created  servant,  Crcsario,  not  heiug  bred  to  his  vocation,  had 
allowed  the  heavy  silver  tray  to  slip  from  his  grasp,  emptying 
the  entire  contents  into  the  lap  of  the  excellent  Mrs.  Smith,  who, 
it  was  thought,  had  caused  the  accident  by  bearing  with  too 
much  stress  —  under  a  mistake  as  to  the  character  of  its  con 
tents,  of  course  —  upon  the  punch  bowl.  There  was  great 
clamor,  in  the  confusion  of  which,  Katharine  Walton,  taking 
Ella  Monckton  by  the  arm,  escaped  into  the  garden.  Let  us 
leave  them  for  a  season,  while  looking  after  certain  other  inter 
esting  parties  to  our  story. 


BRIGHT    AND    DARK. 


CHAPTER    XXXII 

HRIUHT    AM)    DARK. 

WK  loft  mad  Archy  Camphell  in  the  full  whirl  of  a  mo^t  de- 
!5»ions  and  irrateful  excitement.  Whether  it  was  that  Paulina 
Phelp.s  reallv  irave  him  a  preference  in  her  aiVections,  or 
afraid  of  giving  provocation  to  his  aiiLrer.it  would  not  he  ea-v  to 
determine.  Certain  it  is  that  she  treated  him  with  all  the  con 
siderate  solicitude  of  one  \\!m  claimed  a  lai'ire  portion  of  her  fa- 
do  him  justice,  he  now  Deemed  properly  careful  to 
deserve,  it.  His  hehavior  was  nnwontedly  jrentle.  nn>.le>t.  ami 
devoted.  He  studiously  avoided  the  lanirnajre  and  manner  of 

The    coarse    phn86ologj  in  which  he 

too  much  disposed,  ordinarily,  to  indulge,  was  carefully  made  to 
Lrive  way  to  a  dialect  Letter  fashioned  to  persuade  the  senti 
mental  nature  ;  and  it  really  seemed  as  if  the  effort  to  appear 
more  amiahle  had  taught  the  lips  of  mad  Archy  an  unusual  elo 
quence.  I  !«•  ITU  evidently  lahoriiiLT  at  an  ohject  —  evidently  t 

It  was  doiihtful  if  the  fair  Paulina  In-held  any  other  art  in  her 
p-illant  tlmn  that  which  should  properly  distinguish  e\-ery  lover. 
From  the  fiance.  h»-  heirniled  her  to  the  garden,  and  she  waa 
pleased  to  he  so  he^mled.  She  for-i.t  the  n  '.'ac 

tions  of  the  i:>  .  (Captain    i  nid,  sitting  with  A 

Camphell    in    the    Mihdued    mooid'iLrht,  >\  hich  fell  i;  :"{•- 

lets  through  the  leave-    und   hranches   of  the    sheltering' 
the  natural  lan^ruaire  o|   jh«.  WM  of  C  1  hearts, 

mid  sentiments,  all  of  the  1  Af 

ter    much   harm  >i;:  ''c.n.   which    seemed    like   inn- 

and    reverv     rather    than    fl  Archy    led    his    compa: 

unwn  the  slope  of  the  irarden  to  :i  -pot  where   the    umhra^e  Win 


KATHARINE    WALTON. 

loss  close  and  massive.  The  green  plain  stretched  away  to  the 
liver,  the  lines  which  bordered  the  green  marsh  not  concealing 
the  bright  and  glittering  mirror  of  the  wave  from  the  spot  on 
which  they  stood.  Beyond  were  the  dense  groves  of  St.  An 
drews,  the  great  pines  mingling  with  hrooding  oaks,  and  loom- 
ing  out,  grandly  solitary,  in  the  embracing  moonlight. 

"(  >\\,  how  delicious  is  the  picture.  !"  exclaimed  Paulina.  "One 
('••(•!>  anxious  t<>  escape  to  it,  and  he  at  peace,  for  ever.  I  detest 
the  crowd,  thi.s  perpetual  hum  of  tedious  voices,  that  speak 
nothing  to  the  heart,  and  leave,  ns  perpetually  wearied  even  of 
our  pleasures.  (Jive  me  loneliness  rather  —  give  me  the  sad, 
sweet  woods  of  autumn  —  the  ground  strewn  with  brown  leaves, 
and  the  winds  sighing  gladly  over  their  perishing  beaut;. 

"  And  now  is  the  time,  to  see  the  woods  in  the  very  perfection 
of  their  beauty.  ]  drove  nut  the  other  day  to  (ioose  Creek 
church,  and  I  was  charmed  into  forgetfnlness  at  everv  step. 
Suppose  you  let  me  drive  yon  out  to-morrow.  1  have  the  must 
famous  trotter  in  the  world,  and  my  gig  is  as  easy  as  a  cradle. 
Hut  you  know  them  both.  Tak.-  a  scat  with  me  to-morrow,  ,.HM 
you  shall  enjoy  the  luxury  of  the  woods  in  their  fullest  sweet - 

"  I  will  !"  was  the.  prompt  affirmative.  "  Do  yon  know  I've 
never  seen  the  church  at  (loose  ("reek?" 

"  Is  it  possible?  Oh,  you  will  be  delighted!  The  region  is 
a  perfect  fairy  land.  Hut  who  comes  here  /" 

"Miss  Walton,  the  new  beauty,  I  think,  with  Klla  Alonckton. 
1  )o  you  think  her  so  very,  rcn/  beautiful  /" 

"  I  might  think  her  so  if  I  did  not  find  a  much  superior  beauty 

•  •Uewhere,"  was  the    reply,  the   gallant  Archy  looking  tenderly, 

as  he  spoke,  into  the  bright  eyes  of  his  companion,      lie  otlered 

her  his  arm  at  this  moment,  and  they  turned  upward  once  more 

to  the  sheltar  of   the  uanini    and    its  protecting  howeis;    neither 

':i  the    m. 10. 1.  apparently,  to    n  ceiV€    any  addition  to  their 

company.      The.    spirit-  •<','   .Mad    Archv  were   greatly  increased; 

but  he  kept  a  strong  reii;  .      \Yc  may  add  that 

'•y  any  indiscretion  "!'  look  or  word,  forfeited  the 

which    he    seemed    to    have    gained    that    evening,  and    the 

last   words  which     Pauliti  "\\    his    leaving    her,  as    he    e,H- 


BRir.HT    AND    DARK.  'J'.»(.< 

roiled    her   home   that    night,  reminded    him  of  the  engagement 
lor  tlu-  morrow. 

The  eyes  of  Katharine  Walton  ;jnd  lu-r  companion,  like  those 
of    Paulina   and    her    lover,   were    turned    longinglv   to    the,    fan 
-treain    before    them,  and    the    silent    forots    that    spread 
heyond  it.      They,  too.  had  yearnings  which  carried  them 
into  the  solitude  ami  from  the  crowd. 

'  <  Mi,  how  these  woods  recall  to  me  my  home  !  the  sweet,  safe 
thickets,  the  veneraMf  shade-trees  under  which  I  played  \\hen 
a  child,  and  where  1  first  learned  to  weep  and  sol -:  • 

.;..  \V"i;l  I  I  \\rre  among  them  still!  I  teel  as  ii  nil  mv 
days  of  pleasure  —  nay,  of  peace  and  hope  —  are  gone  from  me, 
now  that  I  have  left  them.  1  feel,  Ella,  as  if  I  '.ned 

•me  gn-at  and  crushing  calamity.      My  thoughts  !.y  day 
full    of    presentiments,   and    hy    night    my    dreams    are   of    evil 
alwa\>.      \V-ii!d   I  were  away,  afar,  safe  from  all  these  Lewi! 
ing  sights  and    sounds,  which   speak  to  me  of  danger  and  deceit 
rather  than  «-f  merriment  or  ! 

"  And  \\liv  is  tin*!  Why  is  it  that  you,  young,  and  .so  l.eau- 
tiful,  wealthy  and  so  I'doved" — 

"  llu.sh  !    im.sh!" 

"  Yes  ;    why  should  you  he  unhappy  /" 

••Ah.  not!      You   know  not  what  I  dread  and  what  1 

deplore." 

"  Indeed,  I  know  not.      Before    me  the  prospe>  •  \  ery 

liright.      Y.  '  .1  few  days  ago  it  was  n    ' 

"  It  is  Lei-ati-c   \«ui  Imp.-.       I    fear!       You  look  fni  \\ai.i.       It   in 
upon    the    past    only  that    I    cast    myrxesw'.th    an\ 
The  future  \\ears    nothing   hut    douhts  and  clouds   upm. 
(iod    forhid.  Ella,  that  it  should    ever    .•.eein    to  y.-u  \\hat    it 
to  me  !" 

11  Ah.  Katharine,  hut  Jvr  you,  mine  would    have    heen    such  H 

"  Hut  for  me  /" 

**  Yes !  But  I  dare  not  tell  you  now.  1  must  re.servethe- 
confession  for  another  time,  when  I  have  m<>-  jr.  You 

little  know  how  much  I 

Katharine  ex;  ut,  th«-ugl/ 


800  KATIlAIIINi:    WALTON. 

trembling  to  unfold  her  heart  to  her  companion,  Kiln  found  her- 
•elf  unable  to  approach  more  nearly  the  subject  \vhich  made  her 
tremble.  Thus  musing  together,  and  contrasting  the  bright  and 
cloudy  in  their  several  horizons,  tbe  two  maidens  continued  their 
walk  until  they  were  again  shrouded  among  the  groves  of  the 
garden.  Here  they  paused,  and  seated  themselves  in  an  arbor 
sheltered  by  thick  vines  and  the  dense  foliage  of  the  lemon,  the 
orange,  and  the  gardenia.  While  they  sat,  speaking  occasion 
ally  only,  and  then  in  such  subdued  accents  as  could  reach  no 
other  ears,  voices  were  suddenly  heard  approaching  them,  and 
entering  an  adjoining  copse. 

"It  is  Halfonr,"  said  Katharine,  in  sterner  tones  than  was  her 
wont.  "  Let  us  go  to  the  house." 

.y  !"  replied  Klbi,  in  a  whisper.     "  We  can  not  now  move 
without  being  detected  " 

Meanwhile,  Hali'our  and  Cruden  entered  the  grove,  only  sepa 
rated  from  the  two  maidens  by  n  clump  of  bushes  of'  the  garde 
nia  and  the  rose.  They  seated  themselves  directly  opposite, 
and  proceeded  to  converse  as  if  upon  a  subject  already  fully 
lin.ached.  Ualfour,  it  may  be  said,  had  only  just  reached  Mrs. 
Ingliss's.  lie  had  been  delayed  by  business.  1 1  is  manner  was 
still  hurried,  and  his  tones  indicated  some  excitement. 

"  Well,"  said  he,  "  of  her  we  can  speak  hereafter.  She  shall 
not  always  avoid  me  !  But  what  of  your  loving  nephew?  Have 
you  heard  nothing  recently  of  Major  Proctor?" 

'•  Nothing.      What  of  him  ?" 

"  1  >o  you  not  know  that  he  has  disappeared?" 

"Disappeared!  I  have  not  seen  him  for  a  week.  lie 
would  take  none  of  my  counsel,  so  I  let  him  take  care  of  him 
Keif." 

"  That  is  right.      You  can  neither  serve  nor  save  him." 

*•  Hut  what  do  you  mean  by  disappeared  ?" 

"  He  has  left  the  city  suddenly.     Gone  to  Dorchester,  it  ap 
pears,  \\heiv  we.  have  the  last  traces  of  him." 

"How  Mo  you  know  that  he  went  to  Dorchester?" 

"  I  sent  his  man,  .John,  after  him." 

"What!      As  a  spy  upon  his  master?" 

"  llow  can    you    supp«ne   it?      Hut,  hearing  that  he  went  off 


P.KHIIIT    AVI>    I»AHK.  i  "1 

•uddenly  ami  y.  I  thought  if  Lest  that  tho  »  <>uld 

Attriul  the  master,  and  gave  him  permission  to  do 

"  1  v>alfonr,  this  was  not  right.  You  should  give  my  nephew 
fair  play." 

"  Pooh  !   pooh  !      It  was  only  a  measure  of  proper  precaution. 
It'  I  hail  lii-en   disposed   to   deny  him  fair    play,  he   should 
been  cdosely  in  ward,  well  secured  in  irons,  until  his  trial." 

"  And  why  has  not  his  trial  taken  place  ?" 

"  F«»r  the  very  reason  that  I  wished  to  give  him  fair  phi- 
waited  for  the  arrival  of  new  oilicers   f:"iii  New  Y»ik  —  pe: 
who  know  nothing  of  the  afiair,  and  have  no  interest  in  the 
one  way  or  the  other." 

"  Well,  and  what  do  you  hear  of  my  nephew  since  he  left  the 
city  I" 

"That    he    went    to    I  )orche>ter.    and    made    inquiries    of   old 
Humphries  and   1'ryor  in    regard  to  the  escape  of  Colonel  Wal 
ton.      It  appears   that    he    roiild    get    nothing    satisfactory  (M 
either  of   them,  ami   the   moment    he   turned    his  hack   they  de- 
nouii'-ed  him  to  Vanghan." 

••  "1    'ii  hear  all  this  from  Vanghan,  and  Vanghan  is  his  enemy  " 

"  Pshaw,  Ciudeii,  men  are  their  own  enemies.  They  will  do 
well  enough  if  they  never  ha\e  any  irOTM  than  tliem-ehes. 
Dismiss  this  notion  from  your  mind.  The  result  of  all  is  this, 
that  Proctor  left  Dorchester  the  D6X1  day,  and  i  .nee 

lieen  heard  of." 

"  Indeed!" 

"  Kvi-n  so  !      And  this   mak> 

II J  ptUT]  tO    jiut    him  on    trial    as  soon  as    he    return- 

the    city.      The   charge*   \seie    all    jurpaii-d.       He    has    prohahly 
taker,  the  only  mode  of  escaping  conviction." 

MUow]     WTint  do  you  v 

"  That  he  has  iled  to  tlie  eiien 

Katharine  Walton  felt  her  hand  convulsively  grasped  in  that 
of  Ella. 

"Impossible!       I   will  ::ev«T  b#ll6Vi  it  I"  WtcUumed  Cruden. 

"I  am  afraid  you  will  find  it  trm  _est  j»art  of  the 

affair  is  that  his  servant  John  is 

"  Well,  should    that    Mirpri-  •  n.  with    • 


302  KATHARINE    WALTON. 

sneer.      "Is  it  anything  strange  that  so  faithful  a  servant  should 
cling  to  the  fortunes  of  his  master?" 

"  Come,  come,  Cruden,  that  won't  do.  We  know  each  other  too 
well  for  sneers  of  this  sort.  There  is  no  denying  that  John  was  in 
my  pay,  and  I  feel  sure  that  we  should  have  had  his  report  before 
this  but  for  the  fact  that  lie  has  been  made  away  with.  He  has,  per- 
haps,  attempted  to  arrest  his  master  in  his  flight,  and  has  been  shot 
down  for  his  pains." 

"  Monstrous!    What  do  you  take  John  Proctor  to  be?" 

"  A  traitor  to  his  king  and  country,  and  a  fugitive  in  the  camp  of 
Marion  or  Sumter!  Such  is  the  appearance  of  the  case.  Despairing 
of  defence,  he  has  fled,  and  has  probably  put  to  death  my  emis 
sary." 

"  And  rightly  enough.   The  dog  deserved  a  dog's  death." 

"  Very  like;  yet  we  must  not  say  this." 

"What  is  to  be  done?" 

"Nothing!  Let  him  go.  You  will  believe  me,  Cruden,  when  I 
say  that  I  do  not  desire  to  bring  your  nephew  to  disgrace;  still  less  to 
see  him  shot  as  a  traitor.  I  prefer  that  he  should  lly.  He  saves 
both  of  us  some  shame  and  trouble.  There  is  only  one  thing  to  be 
said.  We  must  see  that  Katharine  Walton  does  not  escape  also. 
She  may  or  may  not  like  him.  I  cannot  yet  fathom  that.  But  he 
likes  her;  and  both  together  in  the  rebel  camp,  a  mutual  liking  might 
not  be  so  difficult,  the  fellow  being  good-looking  enough,  and — not 
unlike  his  uncle." 

The  smile  which  accompanied  this  sentence  might  have  been  a 
sneer.  Balfour  continued — 

"  To  render  this  impossible,  I  must  thrive  in  my  own  wooing,  and 
you  must  give  me  more  help  than  you  have  done.  I  have  SOUK-  plans 
by  which  to  secure  opportunities,  of  which  you  shall  know  here 
after.  Enough  for  the  present.  Let  us  now  go  to  the  house.  I  must 
play  the  gallant,  and  do  the  amiable  to  her,  with  all  the  grace  and 
spirit  I  can  muster." 

In  silence  sat  the  maidens  till  the  two  had  walked  away.  Both  of 
them  had  heard  much  to  deepen  and  occasion  anxiety. 

"Do  you  wonder  now,  said  Katharine,  "that  my  future  should 
jeem  so  gloomy  to  my  eyes?" 


RRI.IIIT    AND    DAUK. 

44  No  !  no  !"  replied  the  otlu-r;  M  and  my  star  has  also  p^rown 
dim  all  of  a  sudd"n." 

Tlirv  rctunictl  to  tlio  (l\vclliii«:,  l»nt  only  to  cnduro  two  hours 
of  mortal  \\  (\-irincs ;,  BOITOUnded  l«y  music  and  ivvclry  whicli  in 
spired  loftthing  "id\',  and  prised  \vitli  the  attention!  <>f  tl»»He 
whim;  tl.ry  i-ijually  droadtMJ  and 


304  KAT  HAKIM;  WAI /row 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

IN    TIIR    TOILS 

ST.  lflCHAEL'8  was  just  pealing  the  cle.vcnth  hour,  when  Ma- 

jor  Stock  opened  liis  eyes  listlessly,  and,  after  a  few  preliminary 
yawns  (if  more  than  ordinary  duration,  rang  for  his  servant. 
The  fellow  had  been  waiting  in  the  passage,  and  appeared  al 
most  instantly. 

'•  Who  has  been  here,  Paul,  this  morning  ?" 

"  Nobody,  sir." 

"  Have  yon  seen  Archy  Campbell  I" 

"  Oh  !  yes,  sir;  he  passed  in  his  chair  more  than  an  hour  ago, 
driving  a  lady,  and  going  oil'  at  full  speed.  He  looked  up  at 
the  windows,  sir,  but  did  not  stop,  and  went  by  without  a  word." 

"  A  lady  !  Hum  !  Who  could  it  be  ?  —  not  that  girl,  surely  : 
—  not  Paulina  ! 

This  was  said  musingly,  but  the  servant  answered  it;  and  no 
wise  to  the  satisfaction  of  his  master. 

"  It  was  Miss  1'helps,  sir,  I'm  thinking." 

"  Well,  sir,  and  what  has  your  thinking  to  do  with  it  ;  and 
who  asked  you  to  do  any  thinking;  and  what  if  it  were  Miss 
1'helps,  sir  /  Do  you  suppose  that  riding  out  together  makes 
them  man  and  wife  .'" 

''Oh!  no,  sir;  not  by  no  means,  sir;  I  beg  pardon,  sir;  1 
di'l'nt  mean  to  be  thinking,  sir;  but  it  did  look,  sir,  as  if  they 
w  IB  pretty  thick  together." 

"  Thick  !  do  you  say  !  Certainly,  the  plot  seems  to  thicken  ! 
Can  she  be  such  a  fool!  Can  it  be  that  Fortune  takes  such 
ptins  to  spoil  svch  a  bruin  as  Archy  Campbell  ?  I  must  sec;  in- 
t  •  it !  I  saw  but  little  of  them  last  night.  I  must— -ah! 


IN    nil-:  TOI1A 

lyawn.s)  l';od,  get  me  the  hot  water  !      That  I  should  hare  risk 
*«d  inv  guineas  upon   tin-  Impossibility  <>!'  a  conjunction    hetween 
a  ^rack-hrain  and  a  chit  !" 

M  k    was   unusually    rapid    in    making  his  toilet   that 

morning.      II*'   scarcely    gave    himself  time   to  discuss   his    : 
nml  chocolate,  when  he  departed  on   his  rounds,  anxious,  hy  in 
quiries  in  the    proper  quarters,  to    relieve    himself  of  hi^  douhts 
with    regard  to  the  safetv  of  his    gu'neas.      For  the   })reseiit.  we 
must  keej)  him  and  the  reader  equally  in  suspense.      He  lea; 
hut  little  that  was  satisfactory  in  relation  to  the  matter,  and  tin- 
hour  of  om-  found  him  at  the  widow  Kivington's,  still  urging  his 
inquiries.      He    ascertained  that    Miss    1'ludjts  /tad   ridden  out  of 
town  with  her  suitor,  hut  such  drhes  wen-  tre<juent  enough*  and 
no  ji  ••med    to  attach  anv  ulterior    imjioi  tance    to  the  af 

fair.      Leaving  him  still    in  a  Mate  of  much  disijuiet,  and  still  at 
the  fashionahle  widow's,  let  us  take  the  road  also. 

Mad  Archy  ('amphell  kejit  <juite  a  B!  .'di>hment.   and 

his  trotter,  as    he    Imasted,  could    show  a    (dean    pair  ot'  lu  els  to 

any  four  legged  hea^t  in  Charleston*     Paulina  I'helps  was  quite 

him  whirl  like  lightning  over  the  sandy  ti. 

hrtxveeii  the    eitv    and    the    Four-Mile    Post,    M    v-  f   the 

^pertat^is.      ,!u^t  heyond  this  point,  the  pair  came  up  with  •  , 
eral   Williamson,   jogging  .-lowly,  on    hor>ehack,  in   the  same  di 
rection.      The  general  was    accompanied,  or  rather  followed,  hy 
a  couple  of  draj..  tied    him  hy    Balfour,  as    much,    pei- 

liajis.  l.y  \\a\  :ity  for  his    return  to  the  ci'  uard 

of  honor. 

••ricar  the  track,  .rnr..,]  ;"    \\a»    the   cry  ••!'   Mad   Arc'1 
with  a  wild  flourish  ol  the  whip,  he  scored  the  flank-  "f  his  trot 
ter,  and   paSSC      t!,ro;i^h  the  opening  files  of  the  horsemen.     Tin- 
next    moment  he  had    left  the  latter  far  In-hind  him.      <»a\'.;. 

hpe<l  from  s  _ht,  h-a\  ii.i:  to  the  :  Williamson  to 

proceed  at   1,-is-ire  t"  t!ie  '^latter   Il^n-e.       Hither    he  C 
after,  and,  without  looking  at  his  wateh,  :  t  it  was  : 

imately   twelve  o'clock,  he    0«1<  .\  1  of  milk    punch,  and 

retired  to  a  elian, 

The  day  was  unite  warm,  ami  the  general  threw  off  hi- 
anil    vest,  his    cravat,  a:i-l    s\v<u  i.    boots,    and    spurs,  and    se 


306  *rt  THAI!  INK    WALTON. 

down  at  length  upon  his  eom-li,  having  prepared  himself  duly 
for  this  attitude,  hy  quailing,  at  a  single  draught,  one  half  at 
least  of  the  foaming  QOggin  \\hieh  lie  had  ordered.  The.  residue 
was  placed  beside  the  bed,  upon  a  small  table,  upon  which  lay 
his  watch,  sword,  and  cravat. 

Meanwhile,  his  escort  of  dragoons  were  not  unmindful  of  what 
was  due.  to  the  comforts  of  the  subordinate.  Their  horses  were 
fastened  in  front  of  the  dwelling,  under  the  shelter  of  some  Chi 
na  trees,  and,  by  turns,  the  riders  penetrated  to  the  hospitable 
bar-room,  satisfied  with  draughts  of  a  liquor  which,  if  less  ele- 
gant  and  fashionable  than  milk-punch,  was  quite  as  potent 
They  strolled  about  the,  grounds,  paraded  before  the  house, 
lounged  to  and  fro  between  their  horses  and  the,  woods,  and.  fi 
nally,  threw  themselves  lazily  at  length  upon  the,  benches  which 
graced  the  pi/ixxa  of  the  rude  hotel,  with  a  sense  of  luxury 
quite  as  lively  as  that  of  their  superior. 

Thus  disposed,  our  vigilant  dragoons  saw  but  little  of  the 
world  around  them.  it  was  not  long  before,  they  were  seixed 
with  a  certain  degree  of  drowsiness,  to  which  the  potent  influ 
ence  of  the  Jamaica  which  tliev  had  taken,  the  warmth  of  the 
day,  ;r'd  the  slumberous  waving  of  the  foliage,  shading  the 
concurs  which  they  occupied,  equallv  contributed  to  incline 
them.  They  did  not  know,  or  suspect,  that,  a  few  hundred 
yards  below,  and  as  many  above,  the  Quaiter  IIon>e,  there 
might  be  seen,  stealing  from  tree  to  tree,  and  covering  the  road, 
as  well  from  the  city,  as  from  Dorchester,  certam  wild-looking 
foresters,  wrll  armed  with  rifle  and  pistol,  who  seemed  to  he 
idarlv  alert,  and  who  were  gradually  contracting  themselves 
about  the,  point  which  the  two  occupied  so  pleasantly.  As  little 
did  they  fancy  that,  closely  harbored  within  the  woods,  not 
half  a  mile  away,  were  fifty  stout  cavalry  steeds,  bitted  and 
bridled,  and  awaiting  to  bear  away,  in  tleet  career,  as  many 
well-armed  riders. 

In  fart,  one  of  our  dragoons  was  wrapt  in  a  slumbt  r  quite  a.-, 
profound  as  ever  hushed  the  cares  of  an  infant.  The  other  was 
not  BO  fortunate,  but  was  just  in  that  condition,  betwixt  sleeping 
and  waking,  which  leaves  the  sense  doubtful  of  what  disturbs  it 
—  which  feel.s  but  can  not  fix  t'ae  disturbance  —  and  nim<rles  t\\r 


I\    TH1 

' 

A  trampling  "f  tin 

the  \\  hinn  \  i::i;  <>f   one  of  tin -in--  :ui  old  a  • 

MS  much  heed  of  all  eanscs  of  dif  r—  at  leu  nth 

1  up  I  he  li:i!f  .1:  ii-T. 

!!'•    i •',;-'   1    liim-clf    up-Mi     hi-     elbow 
•rlimps'-*    of    :i    Imnrin   f :  _•  >wa    <f    the 

UM  d    him,    III  d,    \v  l! '. 

panion,  he  loft  the  pia//a  and   \s«;,t  nut   to  hi>hor.se,   \\hich,    \\ith 
Ucddy   tiM.l    UJ..M   the  thicket  in    which    the 

stran-er  had  (liMipj-eun  d.  W&8  ui\iin:  cur  (Ir.-i^nf^M  MS   full   a   \\:nn 

,l:;ry.      Half   dubious 

that    iiiiscliirf    n:i-ht    IT    l>n  \\IIIL.   yet    in.t    \\illinir    i«-    show    mine- 
alarm,    the  .x«i!iii«.T  \\.-t <   im -liita;  i:t_r  ;i  call    to    his  comrade. 
A\  hen    his   nio\'(  ir.i  ms    \\(r-.-  dc<                    :lic  sudd': 
a    halt'     :t     dozen      1"  :n    llie    \v !s    li.-lnu.    .-, 

the  \\cIlkno\\M  Mue  hui  •  of  (!•<•  Carol ii  I 

:]:••     ln-Jdii-  'nib   to 

which  it    u.i-   fastened,    1  >  leap   Upon    tin-  aniiral.    •  •'::••   pis 

tol    from    hK  bolster  and   din  haiL-r  it    in   lln-  thfl   «-!iniiy, 

•  iin  Hi,   and   in    oU-dietM  <•   t"  a 

sin-le    iiupii!-.  .     '!'«•    -hunt    to  his   .  ;in<l    tin  n    clap 

to  hi^  std-d   in    lliuhl,    \\as   the    \\ .  :  \ 

that     there    \\a-    1:0    cliaiK-  'hat    he    \\  as    al)««ut     to    he 

<>\er\\  helmed     hy    numbers,    and    that    hi-;    :--i  ape    tu    ll;      <ily    \\as 
cut  . 

II. •      \\heeled     ahntlt.     thlllkil..  D       CbeSlCT  J      but.     to     111 

,ii|»     of     i  :.;m    rapidlN 

1'roli!     thix    ijiiaM  i  Ht    f<.r    the   C-  '  -d     \\a* 

:uainin.ir   i-  -"inl    no    IM  ,i!..\\ed    him    for 

'rin«>\\  ini:    !•'    i!i--     L:i"i.iid     the    pi-n.J     \\hith    lie    had 

lie  i.lhi-r.  and.  jM-iminu  i'  :    MS    he  tied. 

ua\t    tree  reiii-  t.»  hi-  hru-e.  and  applied   the  spur  \\itlioiit   c«'iniiiij. 
eration. 

II.    was  lint    instantly    pursued  ;    no    h.  •  in\     \\ere 

visible;    and.    t<>   his  smpri^-.    though    1,  unoni: 

In-    a-- ail;  '  '  '  e    was   di-cha1 

this    fi»rbearance.    which    \\  e   n  lie    csca|"-d.    in   tho 


808  KATH. \IILV-;  WALTON. 

direction  taken  some  two  hours  before  by  Mail  Archy  Campbell 
and  the  fair  Paulina  Phelps.  Hut  lie  ha«l  not  yet  gone  from 
sight  before  he  saw  his  comrade  in  the  hands  of  the  rangers. 
The  poor  fellow,  aroused  l>y  the  shot  of  his  associate,  only 
opened  his  eyes  to  see  the  butt  of  the  huge  horseman's  pistol, 
by  which  he  was  knocked  down,  descending  wildly  in  the  heavy 
hands  of  a  man  looking  as  savage  as  an  Indian,  and  as  well 
bearded  as  a  Cossack.  How  had  Mad  Arc-by  been  suffered  to 
escape,  was  the  reflection  of  our  fugitive  dragoon  ?  We  mav 
be  permitted  to  say  that  it  had  been  just  as  easy  to  have  arrest 
ed  the.  one  party  as  the  other.  Hut  the  ambush  had  been  ^\n- 
daily  ordered  to  sutler  the  lover  and  the  ladv  to  pass. 

"  He  is  not  our  man  !"  said  one  who  wore  the  manner  of  a 
leader.  "  We  must  make  no  unnecessary  alarm,  lest  we  lose 
the  object  we  aim  at.  Uesides,  this  oilicer  is  protected  by  the 
lady.  Let  them  go.  If  they  stop  at  the  '  (Quarter,'  we.  shall 
probably  have  to  seize  them,  if  only  to  make  all  things  sure  ; 
and,  if  they  go  beyond,  we  are  equally  satisfied  ;  they  will  be 
out  of  our  way." 

It  was  for  these  reasons  that  Mad  Archy  and  his  companion 
went  by  with  impunity.  Let  us  see.  to  other  parties. 

We  left  General  Williamson  "taking  his  ease  at  his  inn." 
Hut  ease  and  repose  on  this  occasion,  and  with  him,  did  not  im 
ply  sleep.  His  milk-punch  had  not  produced  oblivion.  He  was 
deep  in  thought  and  expectation.  Hvents  had  been  ripening 
with  him  for  some  time  past.  He  had  been  in  communication 
with  Singleton,  and  now  expected  to  meet  him,  still  in  the  char 
acter  of  Furness.  He  had  much  to  communicate,  which  was  of 
importance  to  the  partisans,  and  to  the  future,  objects  of  the  con 
tinental  army  of  the.  South  ;  and  his  anxieties  were,  in  due  de 
gree  with  the  sense  of  the  weight  of  that  intelligence,  which  he 
brought,  and  which,  in  war,  derives  its  value  chiefly  from  the 
adaptation  of  the  time  to  the  tidings. 

He  was  destined  to  be  disappointed.  Singleton's  employ 
ments  had  delayed  him  in  his  purpose  of  meeting  Williamson 
It  was  a  double  misfortune  to  the  latter  that  he  was  fated  to 
meet  with  another  of  the  partisans,  who  had  no  "oil  of  suspicion 
of  the  new  role  which  the  general  had  assumed. 


IN    THK    ToILS. 

It  \\:is  while  Williamson  was  musing  tlio  condition  of  lii.s  own 
and  the  puMic  affairs,  :ilnn»t  ;i.s  deeply  ahstractcd  from  the 
world  aliont  liiin.  in  consequence  of  the  p:  f  his  thoughts, 

a.>  if  he  liad  heen  asleep,  that  he  was  slightly  conscious  of  some 
disturbances  without  ;  hut  he  gave  them  little  heed.  Soon  I 
came  a  shot,  the  hurried  tread  of  a  hoi>e,  a  struggle  in  the  piax/.a, 
a  groan,  and  then  the  rush  to  the  interior  of  a  M-«>re  of  feet.  IJe 
immediately  threu  himself  from  the  hod,  and,  in  the  same  mo 
ment  the  door  of  tin-  ehamher  was  hurst  open,  and  the  room 
instantly  filled  with  a  doxen  ran_ 

Well  did  he  ivmemlier  the  i-oMume.  He  had  led  a  thousand 
such  fellows  on  an  Indian  campaign.  He  had  gained  all  of 
reputation  that  he  enjoyed,  while  in  the  confidence  of  this  peopU- 
He  liH'i  deserted  his  trust,  had  failed  in  his  faith,  was  no\\ 
odious  in  the  eves  of  those  win)  latelv  followed  him  with  respect 
if  not  admiration,  and  his  heart  misgave  him  as  he  In-held  their 
swarthy  faces,  and  dark  eye>  glaring  upon  him  —  arms  in  their 
hands,  and  he  alone  and  almost  weaponless.  He  had  >ei/.ed  his 
rtwnrd  as  he  leaped  from  the  hed,  and  hore  it,  stretched  nakedly 
and  threateningly,  with  point  to  the  intruders. 

"  Put  down  your  weapon!"  said  the  stern  voice  of  a  nohle- 
h">kmg  gentleman.  "  It  can  he  of  no  service.  You  are  (ieneral 
Williamson  /" 

••  I  am.  sir  !" 

"  V    ti  are  my  prisoner  I"   was  the  stern  response 

"  Who  are  you?" 

»Col  Walton,  of  the  state  line  of  South  Carolina.  Give  me 
\.nir  >\i..nl  sir  !" 

"  Let  me  know  first " 

"  It  i>  enough,  sir.  that  you   know  that  we  are    here,  in    num 
ber*,  aide  to  put  you  to  death  in  a  moment  ;   that  your  dra- 
kre  taken,  and  that  you  have  no  alternative  !     What  more  would 
you  know  I" 

1/uu  nut  know  /////,  I  am  here,  Col.  Walton  ?  Have  you 
Been  Col.  Singleton  ?  —  have  you  heard  nothing  from  him?  —  are 
you  not  despatched  to  meet  n:e  here?" 

These  ([ue-tions  \\  ere  hurriedly  put,  and  in  hu^ky  accenU. 
If  Col.  Walton  indeed  knew  nothing  of  Williamson's 


310  KATHAKIXK    WALTON. 

conference  with  Single'on,  the  renegade  was  in  a  perilous  case. 
He  was  in  the  hands  of  men  whom  he  hail  abandoned  ;  with  the 
danger  of  doom  at  the  drumhead  for  his  treachery.  The  answei 
of  Walton  was  equally  prompt  and  unpleasant. 

"  Sent  to  meet  you,  sir  !  No  !  And  how  should  I  know  //•//// 
you  care  here  —  and  what  have  you  to  do  with  Col.  Singh  ton  < 
Your  questions  are  without  significance  in  my  cars,  (.leneral 
Williamson.  It  is  enough  that  you  are  my  prisoner.  I  h.m 
planned  this  enterprise,  solely,  to  take  you  prisoner.  1  h.-.n 
heard  of  your  frequent  visits  to  this  place,  and  knew  not  that 
you  had  any  deeper  purpose  i»  coming  here  than  the  enjoyment 
of  such  pleasures,  as,  it  appears,  you  have  not  forgotten  this 
morning." 

The  finger  of  Walton  pointed  to  the  empty  punch-bowl.  The 
face  of  Williamson  was  suffused.  But  his  voice  grew  firmer. 

"1  will  not  yield,  sir!  1  will  perish  first!"  —  and  he  thrust 
his  weapon  full  at  Walton's  breast.  But  the  other  was  not  un 
guarded.  His  own  sword  was  instantly  crossed  in  air  with  the 
steel  of  the  assailant ;  with  quick  strokes  the  opposing  blades 
flashed  above  their  heads,  and  finally  lay  together  for  a  moment, 
lapped  in  a  close  buckle,  until  that  of  Williamson  flew  to  the 
opposite  quarter  of  the  room.  He  was  disarmed.  lie  folded 
his  hands  with  dignity  upon  his  breast,  and  looked  steadily  in 
the  face  of  the  visiter,  as  if  inviting  the  amjt  th  grace. 

44  Secure  him  !"  was  the  brief,  stern  command  of  Walton  ;  and 
his  subordinates  rushed  in.  The  captive  was  fast  fettered,  and 
conducted  instantly  to  the  opposite  woods.  He  was  mounted  ou 
a  powerful  steed,  and  escorted  by  two  determined  fellows  OD 
each  hand.  Walton  then  gave  his  orders:  — 

44  And  now,  men,  with  all  speed  across  the  Ashley.  If  wt 
Aelay,  these  woods  will  soon  be  too  hot  for  us ;  not  a  moment  u 
to  be  lost." 

•  What    Ls    to    be    done    with    Major    Proctor  ?"    demanded 
M'Kelvey. 

44  We  must  take  him  with  us  !  we  dare  not  let  him  off  just  yet 
He  would  reach  Charleston  in  an  hour  and  alarm  the  gamfC! 
Has  the  dragoon  been  pursued  who  made  off?" 

"  He   has   Brace    and    Kirby  after   him      They  will   skirt  th» 


IN  TIIK  TO:;  311 

mail  till  sunset,  if  they  do  ii"t  overtake  the  fellow,  and  at  le;ist 
keejt  the  otiieer  and  the  lady  from  reaching  town  before  dark.' 
They  have  their  orders." 

••  I"  ,«t  will   M-rve.     We  must   push    for  the   Edisto  with   all 
despatch.      Take  the  head  of  the  command.  M'Kelvey." 

No  sooner  said  than  done.  Williamson  was  immediate! 
forward  under  guard  ;  while  Col.  Walton,  bringing  up  the  rear, 
oiu-e  more  penetrated  the  thicket  assigned  to  Proctor,  and  an 
nounced  the  :  -if  keeping  him  in  durance  a  little  longer. 
The  latter  was  too  much  relieved  by  finding  himself  once  more 
on  horseback,  to  feel  any  great  concern  as  to  the  route  he  waa 
purHuing. 


KATHARINE   WALTON. 


CHAPTER   XXXIV. 

HOW  MAD  ARCHY  CAMPBKLL  DKOVK. 

NKVKR  was  heart  of  young  damsel  more  free  and  buoyant 
than  that  of  Paulina  Phelps,  while  speeding  over  the  deeply- 
shaded  roads  of  Goose  Creek,  borne  in  a  vehicle  so  easy,  and  by 
a  trotter  of  such  admirable  speed  and  vigor.  The,  day  was  a 
fine  one;  a  little  warm  perhaps;  but  the  heat  was  scarcely  felt 
by  our  fair  one,  going  at  such  a  rate,  a  bree/e  playing  around 
her  as  she  flew,  and  mad  Archy  Campbell  in  the  best  of  all 
p'.-sible  humors.  Never,  in  fact,  did  he  so  excellent! v  reconcile 
bis  ritint  mood  with  so  much  grace  and  amenity.  There  was  a 
reckless  buoyancy  in  his  words  and  manner,  a  playful  humor,  a 
wild  but  not  irreverent  freedom  in  what  he  said,  that  had  an 
inexpressible  charm  for  his  thoughtless  companion.  She  was, 
as  may  be  supposed,  a  creature,  of  extreme  levity.  She  uas 
playful  and  capricious,  and  somewhat  wilful.  It  was  one  of  her 
weaknesses  to  aim  at  being  considered  strong.  Her  ambition 
was  to  exhibit  a  strength  beyond  that  usually  accorded  to  her 
sex — a  dangerous  ambition  always  —  which,  perhaps,  proves 
nothing  more  certainly  than  the  real  weakness  of  the  party. 
Hut  for  this,  she  had  never  committed  the  indiscretion  of  taking 
such  a  drive,  with  such  a  gallant,  and  without  any  other  com 
panions. 

It  is  possible  that  mad  Archy  calculated  on  these  particulars; 
but  it  is  just  as  possible  that,  in  what  he  thought  and  resolved 
upon,  bis  reference  was  rather  to  his  own  character  than  to  that 

of  the  lady.     He  was  just  the  person  to  conclude  according  to 

his  own  desires,  without  considering   their   propriety,  or  in  what 
degree    they  mif'  t    be    acceptable    to    other    persons.      To  Jatf, 


HOW   MAP   ,\!;<  IIY   i  \MPI;I:I.I.   DROVE.  313 

•  uM    he    inclinou    ti»  fli.ul't —  to  //«,  simply 
'isc  it  wa>  the  opinion  of  others  tliat  the  tiling  should  not  or 
could    not    he  done  —  to  startle    tlic    soher   UK.., .Is   of  thought   or 
policy,  with    a    splendid    audacity  —  this    was    his  delight,  if   not 
his    umhition.        He    hail    conceived    <>ne    ot'    these    scheme.- 
achieving    the    impos>ilde  ;   his   mind    had    matured    its   pui  j 
and,  witli  a  method,  which  always  improved   his   madnos,  when 
his  design   had    taken    the    shape  of  a  Mill,  he  had  made  all  his 

preparations. 

This  done,  he  \\:;-  ASfOrecL      He  had   no  misgivings,  either  of 
his    own    failure,  or  of  the    defeat    of   his    purpuse,  and,  thus  AS- 
I,  there  WHfl  notbing  of  moodhieai    in    his  manner 

I!  -  mind  wa*  not  pne  to  hrood  upon  its   ohjects,  1:     - 
their    character,    <»r    extreme    the    exigencies    which    they    might 
involve.      His  COnspiiaciefl  never  kept  him  wakeful.      YOU  would 
suppose    him    never    to    entertain    a    single   thought    hey<>nd    the 
moment,      (i.iy  Rfl  a  hird  in   summer,  he  was   j^nrndous  in   a 
pricious  utterance  of  the  most  sportive   and   thou^iitlc^   fai 
as   if  life    had    no   ..l.ject    lu-yond   the   momentary  flight  or  son^. 
Such  a  random,  headhnii:  couple    never   sped    away  t«>-rther   on 
such  a  flight,  ami  with  so  little  seeming  purpose,  or  with  M»  little 
regard  to  the  judgments  of  the  considerate  and  ^rave. 

The;.  f    l/.ard's    can  j».      Archy 

Campboll  had  his  remarks  in  passing: 

o  place  lor  deer,  that  !       I   have  hunted  t!  ;ently. 

and  with  success  always  Went  out  last  witli  old  St"<  k,  and 
killed  a  couple  of  does  i:;\  >  ;  l'i\e  deer  were  killed  aiimn^ 
the  party.  I  rOASted  Stuck  that  <lay.  fann.usly." 

"  llmisi,,]  him  !      Hnw.  pray  /" 
.••k  him,  that  i 

"  1  am  no  nearer  voui'  mraninp  J 

"  ll'i\v  ignorant  you  girl  i  allowed   to 

ce  BO,       \\  ami    .v//r /.///-    are  the    im>st   >en>ihle  ITOldl  in  a 

/«Y/o\  voralndaiy.       We   Let    on    tlie    tii>t   sh"t,  which   I   pit.       1 
him  for  two  guineas  there.      Our  next  hrt  \\  a>  »\\    the 

ng." 

/.'  M  hat's  tli. 

!Mia\\  !      I  shall  ha\  .  ,    -pMrt-man's   dictionary, 

i  1 


,814  KATIIAKIXi:    WALTON. 

To  bag  tin1!  game,  is  tlu>  proof  that  you  have  shot  or  captured  it. 
1  bagged  my  deer  first,  and  ,v///r/,-  the  old  major  there,  also,  to 
the  tune  of  three  guineas  more.  He  lust  every  het.  ami  was 
thus  rrmxfcd,  done  dotcn,  as  they  say  of  roast  beef  when  it  ia 
•I one  ///'." 

"I  declare  you  have  the  most  mysterious  mode  offtpeakillg 
\Vhat  now  do  you  mean  by  done  ?////" 

"  Ton  my  soul,  you  need  teaching!  Why,  what  should  done 
ui>  mean  but  undone  /  The  sportsman's  language,  is  the  most 
expressive  in  the  world." 

"  It  may  he,  when  you  can  get  the  key  to  it.  Hut  it  might 
as  well  he  Kgyptian  tor  me!  Hut,  hold  up  ;  whose  charming 
place  is  that  on  the  right  /" 

"Charming!  Pretty  enough,  but  not  absolutely  charming  in 
inv  eves,  unless,  indeed,  you  were  the  charmer  at  the  window, 
instead  of  that  bh>wsahel  you  see  there.  That's  one  Daniel 
('.-union's  —  one  of  the  rebels  of  the  city,  who  forgot  to  count 
the  cost  of  his  patriotism  before  lie  adopted  the  expensive  habit. 
That  a  man  should  adopt  an  unprofitable  sentiment  !  He  has 
paid  for  it  !  Have  you  seen  enough  of  the  charming  settlement? 
Mv  trotter,  you  see,  has  no  sympathy  with  you,  and  is  anxious 
toYe  off." 

"Let  him  go.      He  is  certainly  a  splendid  creature." 

"  I-  he  not  !  What  a  skin  be.  has  !  Did  you  ever  see  a  more 
perfect  purple  hay  in  your  life  ?  It  is  like  a  velvet  sijk,  only 
richer;  and  what  legs!" — touching  him  slightly  with  the  whip 
over  his  Hanks,  and  shaking  out  the  reins  —  "now  shall  yon  see 
him  lly  !" 

"  Nay,  do  not  push  him.      The  sand  is  heavy." 

••  Hr  M-orns  sand!  lie  is  of  the  genuine  Arabian  stock,  to 
whom  sand  is  nature.  How  he  speeds!  and  you  scarcely  feel 
the  motion.  What  a  pity  to  lose  Mich  an  animal;  and  yet--" 

"  What!      Why  think  of  losing  him?" 

"Ha!  ha!  Paulina;  to  think  that  that  heathen  Turk,  Stock, 
should  have  set  his  eyes  on  the  least,  that  he  should  hanker 
after  such  a  creature,  and  re-illy  fancy  that  he  was  the  m;.:i  tu 
get  him.  I'd  sooner  cut  his  throat,  than  be  should  have  him  ; 
and  yet — ' 


\I.\D    MXiiY   c\Mi'!;i.u.  DUOVK. 

-  Vet  what  '" 

44  Wo  liavo  a  hot  upon  his  performances  to-ilay." 

•Indeed  I" 

"  Yes  !    the   trotter  is  staked   against  a  purse  of  {guineas;    fifty 
yellow   haininors    against    my    purple    hay  !      Which    shall    fly, 
Paulino  /      The    hirds  or   the  hea.st  ?      Kh  !      It  would    ho  a  p'ty 
M  Mich  a  creature." 

"  I    Would    Dot    IOM>    him    for   tllO    Worhl." 

"  What  would  you  do  to  kooji  him  .'" 

"  What  would  I  not  do  /"  aiisworod  tlio  lady. 

Mail    Archy    chuckled,   and    with    a    sly   Blanco    at    IUH    cora 
panion — 

"  I  must  win  the  hot.  of  course  !' 

'  Surely  ;    it'  you  can  !" 

"Ah!    there's   the    ruh  !       //'  Iran!      I   must  do  my  1 
it  —  leave  im  means  untried  for  it — oh?" 

••  (Vrtainly  i. 

•p.  tly.  overturn  fences,  hreak   through  farm-yards,  lau^h 
at  the  laws,  it'  nece.vsarv,  the  c  hun  li  .' — " 

"All!    all!"    cried    the    «^ay    damsel,    with    a    meny    ' 
"anything  rather  than   lose   so   heautiful  and  lino  a  horse.      Hut 
you    have   not   told    me   what   tho   hot    i.-  ,'      Theie   is    im    p 

ui.out  it  r 

"Ah!    hut  there  is! — for  the    jire>eiit    at    loast  ;    hut  you  will 
ho  the    tii>t  t«.  know  it,   1    I  ,        I   am    re>.,lvod  to  win  it, 

and  will  !       If  I   had  entei  taiued  any  d.ml  .  ymir  onrour- 

.,ont  ha.s  settled    them.      I'.ut   1   may  call  u]>on  \ 

Indeed,  to  c<.nfe-v   the  truth,  the  het  is  of  such  a  n.v 
that,  without  your  help.  I   shall  lo>.-  it.      May  I  count  uj. 

"Oh!    tO  b«   Mire1       I'.ut    you    rack    mo  \\itli   ouri" 
can  you  do  M.  /      !>.•  yu  forget  that   I  am  a  woman  ff> 

"  Heaven  forhid  !       It  is  as  a  woman  only  that  ; 
will  he  valuahle.      I'.ut,  rest  in    patie:  >oaMHi.      In  truth, 

U»e  secret  will  ho  \\orth  nothing  \»  y>u  at  j.rosont.      It 
tlmso  \\hich  can    have  ID  inteiot,  hut    in   tho  iimmoiit  •  I 

ry ;    and  that    di>c«iverv.   I    pr-'ii,' 
tr»  you." 

44  Ami  to-day  ?" 


:  WALTON. 

4  Before  the  day  is  out ;  nay,  possibly,  in  the  course  of  a  very 
few  hours.  But  here  is  Garden's.  You  know  the  doctor  and 
his  place,  'Otranto  T' 

"  Yes  ;  shall  we  stop  ?" 

"  By  no  means  !  we  should  suffocate  !  Don't  you  suffer,  at 
this  distance,  from  the  perfume  of  his  favorite  flowers — to  which 
his  name  is  given  —  the  Gardenia  /" 

"  I  see  none  of  them." 

"  But  you  scent  them  ?" 

"  I  can't  say  I  do." 

"It  don't  matter,  we  are  safely  past.  Go  it,  Turcoman  —  go 
it,  Arab  !  You  know  not  (but  you  should  know,  0  !  most  royal 
beast)  what  a  burden  of  beauty  it  is  that  you  carry  '  You  know 
not,  oh  !  bird-eyed  deserter,  that  upon  your  legs  depends  the 
happiness  which  you  enjoy,  in  the  possession  of  such  a  master  ; 
nay,  the  happiness  which  your  master  enjoys  in  the  possession 
of  such  a  beauty.  You  shall  help  him  to  get  more  exquisite 
joys,  my  sleek-skinned  Arabian  !  This  day  shall  be  marked 
with  a  white  stone  in  our  calendar!  You  shall  feed  on  silver 
oats  hereafter;  you  shall  sleep  in  a  .stable  of  swan's  down;  and 
there  shall  be  a  page,  night  and  morning,  to  sprinkle  you  with 
rose- water,  ere  you  come  forth,  as  a  fleet  hippogriti',  bearing  the 
lady  of  my  love  to  pleasure." 

Speaking  this  extravagance,  which  he  concluded  with  a  wild 
whistle,  our  harem-scarcm  cavalier  touched  gracefully  and  lightly 
the  purple  Hanks  now  slightly  flecked  with  froth,  of  the  high- 
spirited  animal  ;  who  went  oft*  with  increasing  impulse  at  an 
application  which  rather  showed  than  enforced  the  desire  of  hin 

master. 

*'  Why,  you  are  quite  poetical  !"  exclaimed  Paulina. 

"Should  I  be  otherwise  ?  I  have  a  champagne  exbilarance 
working  in  brain  and  bosom  !  I  feel  that  1  have  wings.  I  am 
v>n  my  way  —  better  mounted  than  ever  was  .Mahomet,  when  lie 
rode  Alborak,  the  mule  —  to  something  more  certain  to  give  me 
happiness  than  any  of  his  seven  heavens!  And  did  you  note 
that  my  noble  Arabian  understood  every  word  I  said  /" 

"  I  can't  say  that  I  did  !" 

"Indeed;    where  could    vou  have  been  looking  all  the  while  t 


HOW    MAI)    &RCH1  ELL    DROVE.  317 

Did  you   not  see  how  lie  threw  uj)  his    head  ;    how  his  ears  I 
erected;    with  what  an  air  he  set  down  his  foot,  and  steppoil  nil 
as  if  lie  knew  there  was    nothing   hut   air   to   receive  him  /      He 
understood  me.,  he  RUTC  yllahle  ;    and  that  whistle  which 

I  gave" — here    he    repeated    it — "do   yon    see  what  .. 
honnd    he    takes,    as    it'    with    the    view    to    leaving    the    shafts 
hehind    him?      But   he,   shan't   do    that!       How   we   spin  —  how 

:ly  —  even   as  the  fairies   do!      Do  yon   helieve   in  fai 
Paulina  ?" 

ho  sure  I  do  !      Not   your  masculine  fairies,  they 
c<>ai>e    a    creature.      Your   Oheron    is   a   sort   of  monster,  for 
amjde  ; — hut   I    have,   no  douht    ahout  Titania,  and    Loline,  and 
Nviujihalin,  and  t:  ;    tlie   tender  srx.      1  would   not 

uji  my  faith  in  the  female  fairies  for  all  the  world." 

••  A.-  if  these  could  he  tolerahlo,  even  to  thomsrlve.s.  without 
a  just  proportion  of  the  other  se\  '  How  wo  pi!  Th.it  1 
should  pvc  up  such  a  h«u>o  as  this!  It  \\ 

make  .such  a  het  ;  hut,  with  your  encouragement,  Paulina,  may 
1  B  utterly  consumed  in  hitumen,  if  I  toM  him!  You  Bftj  I 
shall  not  —  and  I  will  not.  Paulina,  you  do  not  ki  • 

"  What    do  you    mean  \      \    know   that   you    are   Mad    Arehy 

OampbelH— " 

"Ah!  hut  not  fnu  Archy  Carnphell  !  Y"ii  shall  MM-!  YOU 
know  me!  Well,  I  suppose  you  do,  in  some  r.  Von 

know  me  most    devoted  wor>hippcr.      Thai     I 

granted;    hut    you    little    know  that    I    can    set    tire    to   the  \ 
trnijilo    in   which    1    worship!      Hy  .Jupiter    Ammon,  to   en 
Balt'our's  most  ox:  :         .  capahle  of  a  devilish  si«;ht 

of  thinjrs  of  which  yon  have  no  conception  !" 

"  You  wi>h    to    scare    me,  do    y.ni  /       Hut  you  're    in  i 

know  enough  of  \.,-,i  (.>  f«-ar  you  nothing!" 

"Ah!       Kli  !       I)o   ym;  Well,  .h.  you    see    that    Imjj 

;ur  to  make  his  way  into  that  coinfudd  /  a  hup1  1" 
U  they  woidtl  havo  hunted  with  do^,  and  cry,  and  1 
in  the  forest  of  Ardenne>.  Y-u 

against    the    fence,  ahsolutely    heat    to    send    it    down    hy    i. 
force  \      Now  shall  you  >oe  n:c  ,  !    those  wheel >  over  his 

hack  hefore  he  or  von  can  civ  out  — 


318  KATHAIIIXK    WALTON. 

"For  Heaven's  sake,  Archy  Campbell,  don't  think  of  such  a 
tiling!  Do  y«,i,  sco  tin-  ditc-li  I  We  .-hall  he  upset." 

"  Not  ;i  Lit  of  it  !  Through  the  ditch  we  go  !  II a  !  Smack  !" 
and  the  whip  was  now  laid  on  with  unction.  "Bravo!  Least  ot 
mine  ;  across  him  for  a  thousand  !" 

A  jolt— -a  hound  —  the  ditch  is  crossed,  and,  even  while  tho 
hog,  with  forefeet  erect,  is  pressing  all  his  weight  against  tho 
worm-fence,  which  lie  had  already  half  shaken  from  its  proprj. 
cty,  the  obedient  horse  took  the  irregular  motion  which  had 
been  prescribed  to  him,  and  the  vehicle  rose  in  air,  upon  the 
Log's  quarters,  and  hung  in  this  manner  for  a  perilous  instant. 
A  scream  from  the  lady  was  nothing  to  the  wild  succession  of 
screams  that  issued  from  the  throat  of  the  porker.  Down  rolled 
the  1  .east  into  the  ditch  ;  down,  for  an  instant,  settled  the  wheels 
upon  him  ;  another  jolt  of  the  vehicle,  and  the  ditch  was  re- 
crossed;  the  wheels  recovered  their  balance,  and  oil  Lonnded 
the  good  Arabian,  seemingly  as  heedless  as  his  master,  of  the 
condition  of  the  hog.  Before  Paulina  had  recovered,  Mad  Archy 
spoke,  :  — 

"By  Jupiter  Ammon,  it  was  almost  a  hang!  I  knew  that 
there  was  some  peril  in  it  from  the  first,  Paulina,  and  but  for 
your  assuranc'e  that  nothing  could  scare  you,  I  should  never 
have  tried  it.  You  arc.  a  fearless  creature  —  not  once  to  cry 
aloud  —  not  once  to  tremble." 

Then,  looking  round  with  a  mischievous  smile,  into  her  face  — 
"  N«»t  the  slightest  change,  in  your  color  or  feature!  Ah!  Pau 
lina,  yon  are  worthy  to  be  a  soldier's  wife.  You  hnn>  courage, 
indeed!" 

This  novel  sort  of  flattery  did  not.  soothe  the  lady  very  ma 
terially.  If  imt  absolutely  scared,  she  was  bewildered  and  con 
founded.  She  felt  that  a  mocking  devil  was  in  the  smile,  \\hich 
beheld  her  features.  She  knew  that  they  were  pale.  She  felt 
that  her  heart  and  lips  were  equally  trembling.  She  knew  that 
she  had  screamed  in  her  momentary  terror,  and  was  as  perfectly 
Satisfied  that  he  had  heard  her  M-ream.  She  spoke  nothing. 
She  began  now  to  feel  all  the  imprudence  of  which  she  had 
been  guilty  in  riding  with  such  a  co.npaiiion.  W;is  he,  mad  or 
not?  He  wan  rapidly,  to  her  mind  rcali/.ing  the  propriety  of 


BOW    M  \i>    ,\i;<  HI    >  AMl'KKi.L   DI:OVK. 

the  epithet   which  had  hitherto  heen  conferred  upon  him  in    jot. 
Hi>  recklosmi  -Miming  an  aspect  ijuite  as  uncoinfort 

to  her,  as  his  madness  would   have  been,      lie  did  not  allow  her 
apprehensions  to  subside. 

"  Y«>u    .say    nothing,   Paulina  /      Perhaps,  you   wonder   that    1 
sliould  suppose   it   a   meritorious   show  of  courage,  on  your  part, 
t<»  fee!  no  fear  at  such  a  small  adventure.      Hut  I  can  assure  v.n, 
that  mn.xt  of  your  sex  would  have  felt  or  expressed  some  alarm. 
You  do  neither.      All!    it   is   delightful   to   drive    such  a  wo) 
One  is  annoyi-d  at  the    petty  feminine  fears  which  see  danger  in 
IT,  do  yo.i  see   yonder   pines   ^rowin^  upon  the  old 
track?      I'll    venture   a   guinea   that    there  is  scai  rely  a    lady  in 
Cl     :!e.ston  who  would  not   he  disquieted  at  my  driving  Let-.- 
them  !" 

"  For  Heaveu'.s  sake,  sir,  do  not  attempt  it!"  cried  the  dam- 
Md,  now  seriously  alarmed,  and  all  over  in  a  tremor,  catching 
his  ;m:i  as  >he  -poke. 

"Ah!   child  Patdina,  this   apprehension   is  ex;  r  me  ! 

Von    U-el    none   yourself.      You    dread    that    I  will    falter   at    thu 
proper  moment,  and  «li-  y  driving.      Hut   1   will  show 

that  1  am  as   cool    and   firm  of  i  •  \  ou   are.      I  have  i 

through  that  ^ro\e  1  efore  !       I  led  the  wav  f..r  Harrv  and  M'.M 
lion.      I    drove    old    Stock,  and    the    old    fellow  hadn't  a  word  tu 
By  that    I    knew  Ids    ner,  L      W«-  \N«int 

through  at  a  hound.      \Ve    tm- ::-ui'ed  it  aflerwar<l,  ami  t 
hut  an    inch  to  span-   on    each    hand.      Then   I  .-limited  • 

me  on  ;    and  he  did  —  after  a  fa>hion  !      He  IOOH  >a\\  -i-ht>  ! 
The  trees,  hr  ime    m,t    into   the    path.      The  left  \\heel 

struck,  locked,  was  torn    out.  and    ran  a  hundred  \ 
h->s.      Harry  went    out    on    one    .side,  as    if   making    hi> 

pet  river;    while  M'Malioii,  for  the  first  time  taking  a  di: 
ent  direction,  hounced    upward,  on    his  wav  to   1  •  \\'.i 

picked  them  hoth  u]>  with    I. loody  n  •-•••<.      Ma!    Smack!    TI. 
man  !      Now   for   it,  and   oh  !   vill.vn.    if  you 
riliand,  1  '11  roast  your  thinks  for  you  !" 

With    a  lon^r    wlii>tle,  our   .Jehu    :_ra\e    the    animal    tin- 
threw  his    head    forward,  slightly    in--  ':p'>n  the 
,  ami,  in    a  moment.    Paul.                               is  ..f  the    passage 


320  KATHAltlxi;   WALTOH. 

between  the  trees.  The  wheels  rolled  on  a  root,  ami  the  slight 
shock,  in  her  nervous  condition,  persuaded  her  that  the  vehicle 
had  gone  to  pieces.  A  deep  sigh  escaped  her,  and  when  Arehy 
looked  round  upon  her  face  again,  with  that  half  diabolic  smile, 
the  madman  felt  that  he  had  conquered.  She  was  powerless. 
The  lustre  had  left  her  eyes.  Her  cheeks  were  pallid  !  Tlu 
gaze  with  which  she  met  his  own,  was  tlrtit  of  a  subject.  The 
fair  coquette,  so  boastful  of  her  strength  and  courage,  was  abso 
lutely  speechless  ;  but  she  could  still  appreciate  the  danger  of 
A  philosophy  so  wild  as  that  with  which  her  companion  contin 
ued  to  regale  her  senses. 

"  Talk  of  driving  !"  said  he.  "There's  no  driving  where 
lii  -re's  no  danger!  Where's  the,  merit  of  doing  that?  A  cat 
may  drive  a  blind  horse  over  a  beaten  track,  and  safely  keep 
the  centre;  but  it  is  a  man  only  that  can  scrape  the  edge  of  a 
precipice  with  his  wheel,  yet  never  cease  to  whittle  while  hc'fl 
doing  it  !  I  could  take  you  now,  Paulina,  full  speed,  among  all 
the  tombs  and  vaults  of  the  Goose  Creek  churchyard,  chip  the 
corner  of  every  tombstone,  whirl  three  times  round  the  church, 
leaving  but  an  inch  to  spare  between  the  corners  and  the  wheels, 
and  haul  up  at  the  altar  place,  cool  enough  for  the  marriage 
ceremony  !  There's  the  church,  now  !" 

And  he  touched  the  flanks  of  the  trotter  with  his  whip,  and 
began  to  whistle. 

"  Oh  !    for  Heaven's  sake,  Mr.  Campbell,  don't  think  of  it." 

The  poor  girl  found  her  voice  in  anticipation  of  new  and 
greater  danger. 

"  Don't  think  of  what?"  he  demanded. 

"  Driving  among  the  tombstones.  It  can't  be  done  with 
Kafety.'l 

"Can't  be  done!  What  will  you  bet  on  it  ?  I'll  show  you. 
Such  an  imputation  on  my  skill  in  driving  !  Ah  you  think  I 
fear  ?  You  would  test  my  courage  —  my  nerves  —  in  every  way  ! 
You  are  a  fearless  creature;  but  you  shall  see  that  1  have  as 
firm  a  heart  as  yourself." 

"  Oh  !  I  do  not  mean  that,  Mr.  Campbell.  I  am  not  firm.  I 
nm  fearful  —  very  fearful.  In  fact,  I  feel  quite  sick.  I  must 
have  some  water  " 


now   M.\I»   AUCHY   .  \MI-I;I  I.L   MJOVK.  :;-Jl 

"  It  is  this  cursed  hea>r  !      II  slowly  !      H, 

if  ho  h.-ul  tlu>  p.ut  !  We  have  ht-.-n  a  tedious  time  on  the  i 
and  you  arc  naturally  tired  out.  I  could  cut  the  rascal's  tl. 
Water!  we  will  -et  it  at  the  parsona-e.  We  will  diive  ! 
first;  after  that  we  can  visit  the  church.  It  :  the  pret 

tied  of  the  antiquities   in  all  the  low  country.      Fine    :• 
aisles  —  fine  mahogany  pew>  —  carved  work    in  nhnndai;ee.   and 
—  hut,"   looking   round    upon    the    pale   face  of  his    companion, 
"  hut  for  the  pai>ona<rtl,  now  !     You  know  the  rect..r,  Hllm-tun  /" 
-o  to  the  parsona. 

••  phew  !"— a  shrill  prolonged    whistle,  and  artistlike    Hourish 
of  the  "  persuader,"   as  he  styled  his  whip,  and  the  vehicle  was 
whirled  up  at  the  door  of  the  parsonage. 


K  ATM  A  KINK    WALTON. 


(JII  A  PTEll    XXXV. 

How    MAD    AKCMV    CAMI'UKLL    WON    HIS    BIIIDK. 

lr  is  probably  very  well  known  by  our  readers,  that  the  es 
tablishment  of  the  English  cliurch  was  that  which  generally 
pre\  -ailed  before,  and  during  the  Revolution,  throughout  all  the 
jKiris/i  country  of  South  (Carolina.  Hence,  indeed,  th&parOcJd- 
nl  divisions  which  exist  in  the  same  region  to  this  day,  occa 
sioning  something  like  a  political  anomaly  in  the  distribution  of 
civil  power  throughout  the.  state.  The  church  establishment, 
at  that  period,  was  a  highly  respectable  one.  Great  Britain  had 
a  reasonable  sense  of  what  was  due  to  externals,  at  least  in  mat 
ters  of  religion  ;  and  th*e  temples  which  she  raised  for  worship 
were  strong,  fair-proportioned  brick  fabrics.  Good  dwellings, 
near  at  hand,  were  provided  for  the.  rectors,  and  the  incumbent 
was  usually  one  of  those  "sleek,  oily  men  of  God,"  who  show 
themselves  duly  sensible  of  the,  value  of  an  arrangement  which 
HO  happily  unites  tbe.  state  with  the  church 

In  Smith  Carolina,  the  English  church  was  probably  quite  as 
well  served  by  its  priests  as  in  any  other  of  the  colonies  —  per 
haps  better  than  in  most.  It  posse.-^sed  a  very  fair  amount  of 
education,  talent,  and  good  manners.  The,  reverend  Edward 
Ellington,  the  rector  at  (loose  Creek,  was  a  very  respectable 
clergyman  —  a  man  of  good  looks,  easy,  pleasant  address,  and 
fair  ability.  There  are  those  living  who  have  listened  to  and 
been  greatly  edified  by  his  preaching.  As  far  as  we  can  learn, 
though  an  honest  man,  and  laboring  properly  in  his  vocation,  he 
did  not  Miller  his  xeal  to  distress  his  nervous  system  —  was  of  a 
gentU-  and  easy  disposition  —  not  at  all  favorable  to  martyrdom  ; 


HOW    M  \  :  HIS    imiDB. 


and.    probably.    was    much    i:i'>«,  Me    t<>    turtle-son])    ;  nd 

M      eira. 

W«-  do  not  blame   liiin  lor  tills.      Men   must    live   and    ttul  ac- 
M£  to  the  endowments  of  their  nature.     Tin*  phlegm  atic 

temperament    may  l>e    united    to   a    verv    excellent    liead    a  id  a 
p«od  Cliri.stian    disposition.  without  feeling  at  all    anxious  t>  •  en 
joy  the  distinctions  of  John  lingers  :    indeed,  without  any  j'-ver- 
i--h  y.eal  to  vex  and  ^m\i\  their  neighbors  into  the  way  of  j 
Mr.  KHiie/t"  -i  wa<  a  pi  tliis  order.      He  was    mild    and 

meek,  and  indulgent;     no  fierce  reformer;    and    perfectly    *ntis- 
lie  •!    \\ith  a  i\'<ck  which    betrayed    the  least    possible    distn  st    iii 

:d  to  their  situation  as  well  as  his  own.  It  was  seldor  that 
flock  or  pastor  diMnrhe  1  the  <juiet  of  one  another,  or  sn  lered 
from  anv  spasmodical  excitements  to  which  they  could  jr'n  e  the 
name  «>f  reli^i-m.  Whether  they  vere  worse  or  hetter  than 
their  neighbors,  in  conse'juence  of  thi-  e,i-y  mode  of  euro  .nter- 
in^  tlie  f!,->li  ai,.l  the  devil,  is  n  «piestion  which  it  does  n  -t  bo- 
come  our  province  to  di.- 

jiastor  was  ta:.  -aso  on  th.^  >liady  side  of  hi- 

/.i  a>  Mad  Archy  Campl-cll  and  tlio  fair  Paulina  drove  up  to  his 
CUtnmce.      Th«    ll  >  le-tr  i    them,  and  a  .servair.    in  a 

neat  lr.  <TV  jiroinptly  made    his  appearance,  to  whom    Can  pludl 
thiew  his  icins;     then,  jumping  out  with  an    easy    hound,  1  « 

.pauion,  tn-inhlin«r  all  the  while,  to  the  solid  t  arlL, 
liei   heart    i.  eating    almost    audibly    with    the    sense  of  a   dhi 

The  worthy  paMor    arose    from    the  t  »t  of 
canvass,  on  which   lie  had  been  soliciting    his    sie>ta,  and    j. 

ended    the    flight  of  sti-ps    leading    to  the    pia/./.a,  to  re. 
and  uelcoiiie  the  parties,  lioth  of  whom  he  ^li^htly  knew. 

\\'lth   a   sMir.(  \\  h  it    ;'.>i-te;  "':-  .     Archy 

to  the  gentle    salutation  of  the    rector,    wh«>,    ^ivin^    hi- 
Tauli'ia,  assisted    her    into    the  dwelling.      She  sank    feebly 
the    fir<t  chair    that    pr  in  the    pia/7a.    and    faintly 

calh'd    for   a   «;lasH   of  water,    which    was   immediately    bro". 
Mr.    KHin.irton    s«».n    p-.-rn-ivi-  !    that  her  \  hnf 

dlSCOmpOSOd,   but     lie    \va*     fon     phlcgniAtk  >  fine  the  fiih 

extent  to  which  thev  h-id  '  i-'-n  t  ied      !'•«•       M  M    d  Archy  ^.IT» 
him  little  leisure  for  meditation  or  scrutiny. 


324  KATll. \II1XK    \V\l.i     \ 

"We  arc  out  of  breath,  parson  !  Surli  a  horse  !  Look  at 
the  creature  !  Hardly  milled  ;  never  a  .stain  upon  Ins  skin  ; 
and  just  enough  moisture  to  increa.M1  tin1  beautv  of  liis  purple. 
Yci.'ll  hardly  think  it,  but  we  have,  reached  you  in  less  than 
two  hours  from  the  city." 

The  preacher  looked  incredulous  ;  turning  his  eyes  from  one 
to  tl.c  other  of  his  visiters,  with  a  doubt  fill  inquiry  in  his  glance. 

"  By  Moses  and  Aaron,  parson,  but  what  I  tell  you  is  the 
truth,"  was  the  irreverent  response.  Tin-  rector  looked  A  he- 
comi.ig  gravity  as  he.  replied — 

4  Swear  not  at  all  !" 

"Oh!  psho  !  Parson,  you  don't  call  that  an  oath  ?  I  only 
appe-iled  to  such  witnesses  as  I  thought  you  might  believe  iu 
Now  Moses  and  Aaron  ought  to  he  good  evidence  with  vi.u. 
and  f  you  have  any  mode  of  communicating  with  them,  you 
can  s  >on  learn  that  what  I  tell  you  is  solemn,  hnnl-filYorcil  fact. 
Don't  you  see,  that  Miss  Phelps  has  not  yet  recovered  hreath. 
In  truth,  we  Hew  rather  than  rode.  It  is  a  beast  among  a  thou 
sand,  that  of  mine!  Pity  to  lose  such  a  heast,  eli,  Paulina? 
13ut  you  say  we  must  not  lose  him,  and  we,  will  not.  Parson,  if 
you  have  no  objection,  we  M'ill  let  him  pick  from  that  grass  plat 
on  the  left;  there,  under  those  oaks,  where  he  will  find  both 
shade,  and  substance." 

T'ie  rector  was  evidently  bewildered  by  his  vi.siter,  but  lie 
consented  to  the  arrangement  ;  and,  with  a  few  words  to  the 
osth  r,  the  horse  was  stripped  of  his  furniture.  In  the  meanwhile., 
ranging  the  pia/xa  with  the  air  of  Sultan  Solyman,  Mad  Archy 
divi  le.d  his  attention  between  the  rector,  the  lady,  and  the  A 
hian.  Tin-  gig  was  suffered  to  remain  beneath  the  .shade,  trees 
at  the  entrance. 

"  Von  have  a  world  to  yourself,  Mr.  Ellington,"  was  the  con 
descending  remark  of  Campbell.  "  ('an  be  happy  here  as  tlu 
•lay  is  long.  Hut  your  world  would  not  suit  me.  Peace  is  not 
my  (dement.  Rep-iM-  dues  not  refresh  me.  I  pu-fer  a  Morn. 
any  dav  to  a  calm  ;  and  if  I  were  doomed  to  such  a  life  a.- 
yours,  I  should  burn  down  the  parsonage  first,  and  then  the 
-Jmrch,  if  it  were  only  to  have  the  trouble  of  rebuilding  them. 
Did  you  ever  in  your  life  enjoy  a  bit  of  fun,  parson  '/  Were  y-i 


HO\V    M  \!.     A  kll'BELL    \V()N     HIS    HIIIDK. 


ever  in  a  n>\\  '  When  \  ou  \\ere  a  hoy.  for  example,  did  you 
ever  knock  down  a  watchman,  1*1  upset  his  hox  /" 

"  N  !  the  parson  meekly. 

"  A:  C  ge,  i  •••<"•<  :,  you  have  taken  tlie  road  as  a  whip  ? 
You  liave  rode  steeple  chases;  —  you  have  torn  oil  the  gown  of 
an  official,  <'f  *  dark  night,  and  met  his  eyes  innocently  in  the 
morning  ?" 

"  I    am    glad    to   say    that     I    have   never    done    any  of  these 


"(Had    to  say  (      1    don't    see  why  it  should    make  you  glad  ! 
But  you  are  fond  of  cards,  I  am  certain." 

"I  acknowledge    that    1    find    pleasure    ina    ruMier  of  u  lii.st 
with  shilling  poiii* 

"  Shilling  points  !     Silver!     There  is  no  dignity  in  such  play. 
What  think    you  of  fifty    guineas  on    a    cast/"      Then,    \\ithout 
waiting  for  an  aiisuer:   "  Now,  pray,  look  at  that  heast  of  mine. 
II-    i     B  depei    Iff  Oil    his  and    my  performance  to-day.      HI 
done  his  part  thus  far,  with  very  excellent  success.      I  must  not 
neglect    mine.       1  >o    you    know    Stock,    Major    Stock,    Mr.    Kl 
lingt 

"  I  do  not,  sir." 

"The  last  man  in  the  world  to  do  justice  t«>  a  horse  like  that! 
It   is  handy  pOfriblc    that    he   thinks   to   own    him.      He    has    put 
fifty  guineas   on   his   head;    and  it  will    soon    he    certain  whether 
he  or  1  shall  have  the   felicity  of  Hinging   the    rihands   over   him 
hereafter.      This    day    will    decide    it.      That    warns   me   th;.' 
time    is   to    he    h»t.       Paulina,  my    love,  you    have   said    that    \v  e 
must    not    lose    the    horse;    and   you   are    right!       Pray,  ri.-r,  my 
chaimer.      Par-on,  \\  e  have  come  to  he  married;    will  you  make 
the  ceremony  a>  .short  as  possihle  I      We    must    take    our   di: 
in  town  to-day  !" 

The    parson    looked    more    bewildered    than    ever.      The    lady 
stared  aghast,  he:    -  _"ing  from    one    to    the   other   gentle 

man.      Both  the  p.  ileut.     Campbell  grew 

impa; 

"Zounds!     parson  —  don't    you    hear?  —  don't    y<>u    coin  t  re 
bend  (    we  are  come  to  he  married." 

44  Are  you  serious,  Mr.  Camp  hell  ?" 


.".-J('»  KATHAuI.Xi:    WALTON. 

"Serious!  Do  I  look  like  the  man  to  jest  when  my  happi 
ness  is  at  stake  I  Is  nut  happine>s  one  of  the  most  serious  in 
terests  in  this  life?  Have  we  ridden  up  to  you  for  any  less  oh- 
ject  ?  I  tell  you,  sir,  that  Mi>s  Paulina  IMielps  and  myself  have 
come  hither  to  be  married.  We  know  the  pleasure  that  you 
feel  in  bringing  hearts  together,  and  we  entreat  this  ollice  at 
your  hands.  Will  youjiot  rise,  my  Paulina?  I  know  that  y<  u 
are  fatigued,  but  the  church  requires  that  we  should  be  married 
in  a  standing  posture,  with  head  uncovered  ;  unless,  indeed,  one 
is  too  sick  to  rise,  and  suffers  from  a  bad  cold  ;  then  some  allow 
ance  is  made  lor  the  suffering  party.  But  we  can  make  no  such 
plea.  Come,  sweetheart!  It  will  occupy  but  a  few  moments.'' 

The  lady  remained  seated  and  silent,  but  looked  more  terror- 
stricken  than  ever.  The  rector  beheld  the  expression  of  her 
face,  and  it  suggested  to  him  the  answer  to  Campbell's  demand. 

"  I  will  cheerfully  marry  you,"  he  said,  '•  if  the  lady  consents 
to  it." 

"If  the  lady  consents  to  it!  And  what  right  have  you  to 
suppose  that  the  lady  will  not  consent  to  it?  For  what  purpose, 
has  she  come  hither?  Do  you  question  my  word?  Should  I 
not  know?  What  !  She  says  nothing  herself!  Well,  sir,  and 
does  not  a  lady's  silence  mean  consent?  Are  you  capable  of 
making  no  allowance  for  the  delicacy  of  feelings  which  would 
rather  have,  you  understand  them,  without  absolutely  forcing  the 
tongue  to  speak  !  Sir,  I'm  shocked  and  surprised  at  you.  Learn 
better,  hereafter,  how  to  appreciate,  the  nice  feelings  of  the  sex." 

44  hut,  sir — Mr.  Campbell " 

"No  unnecessary  words,  Mr.  Kllington  —  we  are  in  haste; 
We  must  be  in  town  for  dinner.  The  sooner,  therefore,  you  ojli 
ciate,  the  better.  We  are  both  of  marriageable  years,  vuid 
should  know  what  we  de>;re." 

44  You  speak  for  yourself,  Major  Campbell." 

44  /ounds,  man,  I  speak  for  the  lady  also." 

"She  does  not  say  tliut  /"  turning  and  looking  at  Paulina. 
The,  poor  girl  caught  his  hand  and  looked  appeaiingly  into  his 
face. 

44  But  she  says  nothing  airainst  if,"  replied  Campbell. 

"That  will  not  suffice,  Major  Campbell.      She  must  speak  for 


HOW    M.\l>    AIM  I!V    <  AMIT.KU.    \V«)\     HIS    HIIIDK. 

her.-i'lf !"  replied  the  rector,  taking  an  accent  and  a.-pect  of  ? 
decision. 

"Ha!    do    JTOB    -ay    that!"   exclaimed    ( 'amphell,   in    sulidued 

tones,  his   rye    re-tin^   upon   the    face  of  the  j»ale  and  trendilinj; 

'  na — "  I). i  yon  say  tliat  I      Yon  are  not   satisfied  with  what 

I    tell   yon!      NOW,  hy  .Jupiter  Aniinon,  you  many  us  instantly, 

>r  1   -A  ill  hlow  your  hrains  out  !      It  is  an  oath!" 

With  these  words  drawing  a  pair  of  pistols  from  his  coat,  he 
clapped  one  of  them  to  the  head  of  the  rector,  cocked  it  quickly, 
and  repeated  the  oath. 

••We  arc  conic  hither  to  he  married!  Either  you  many  us, 
or  I  put  a  hrace  «>f  hnllets  through  your  hrains.  I'anlma,  tear 
nothing,  my  h>ve  ;  he  shall  do  as  1  command.  1  will  somier 
shoot  hoth  of  us,  than  see  you  disappointed." 

Ellington  looked  into  the  fare  of  the  madman,  and  read  then* 
a  (1-  .  desperate  resolution,  under  which  his  firmness  HIC- 

cumhed.      He  liai!  met  the  eyes  of  a   master.      He   felt    that 

'ii  with  whom  he  had  to  deal  was  capalde  of  any  6XC6M  or 
violence.  lie  leagued  rapidly  with  himself  under  the  exigency 
of  his  situation. 

"It  is  true,"  he  said,  "  that  the  lady  seems  paralyxed  with 
tenor,  and  evidently  appeals  to  me  for  protection  from  this  man  ; 
hut  why  has  she  intrusted  herself  to  him!  t'nless  mar: 

her  purpose,  why  consent  to  such  a  hair-hrained  expedition 
as  the  present — one  which  should  seriously  invoke  her  reputa 
tion  i  To  perform  this  oth'ee  will  really  i  tins  reputa 
tion  ;  and  if  the  lady  does  not  know  her  own  mind,  it  is  hi«;li 
time  she  had  somehody  to  teach  her  all  necessary  lessons  in  fu 
ture." 

Such  \\ere  the  rapid  conditions  of  the  rector,  under  tin 
cive  terrors  of  ( 'amphell's  pistols.      The    latter  iraxv  him  hut  lit 
tle  time.      He  MW  that  the  par-  i.irmrd  and  prepared  to 
yield,      lie  had  no  douht  of  the  pliant  nature  of  the  lady. 

"  Hark   ye,  Mr.  Kllinjrtmi,  I    am  willing    ' 

even  though  1  shoot  yon.  i   /  //•///.  and  -  and 

ghoot  myself,  rather  than  p>  hack  to  tin-  city  to  he  a  finder  p.-int 

for   ev«M-y  d <1  hlockhead   in    the    .  \ 

to  what  is  the  common  1),,  you  suppose 


328  K  AT  HA  It  INK    WALTON. 

t.h-it  Miss  Phelps  rode  out  with  me  to  Goose  Creek —  with  me 
alone  —  unless  she  understood  that  my  purpose  was  honorable 
marriage?  You  can  not  surely  suppose  her  a  simpleton.  What 
then?  Shall  1  disappoint  her  reasonable  calculations?  Will 
you  contribute  to  this  result,  at  the  manifest  risk  of  this  lady's 

character  ?     By ,  sir,  you  shall  not !     We  shall  both  perish 

6rst.  Rise,  Paulina,  my  love.  Mr.  Ellington  sees  the  justice 
and  propriety  of  all  I  say." 

Campbell  took  the  lady's  hand  as  he  spoke,  and  looked  into 
her  eye,  with  that  mixed  smile  of  deviltry  and  aflcction  which 
be  had  shown  her  in  the  maddest  moments  of  their  morning 
drive.  She  rose  as  if  unconsciously  —  passively  yielding  at  his 
will  —  and,  in  this  action,  she  afforded  to  the,  rector  an  opportu 
nity  of  complying  with  the  demand  which  his  courage  did  not 
allow  him  any  longer  to  oppose.  lie  conducted  the  couple  into 
the  parlor,  and  prepared  his  books.  We  mav  pass  over  a  brief 
period  of  delay  consumed  in  preliminaries,  which  greatly  in 
creased  the  impatience  of  Campbell,  Uis  madness  had  so  much 
method  in  it,  as  never  for  a  moment  to  allow  him  to  lose  any 
thing  that  he  had  gained.  lie  still  continued,  by  words  and  ac 
tions,  to  keep  up  the  apprehensions  of  the  rector  and  the  terror 
of  the  damsel.  To  the  latter  he,  said,  while  the  former  was  ma 
king  his  preparations  — 

"It  is  a  sublime  thing  to  perish  with  one  that  we  love!  I 
have  always  thought  well  of  French  passion,  from  the  fVeijucncv 
of  this  habit  among  that  people.  '  A  couple,  truly  devoted,  will 
say  to  each  other  other  — '  We  are  happy  —  why  should  we  en 
danger  our  love  by  exposing  it  to  the  vicissitudes  nf  time  .'  We 

might  change  —  a  terrible  caprice  mi^ht  endanger  both  heart, 

and  familiarity  produces  coldness,  and  age  neglect,  Better  es 
cape  this  peril.  Now,  that  love  is  secure,  let  us  die  together!' 
And  they  agree,  and  suffocate  themselves  with  charcoal,  dying 
together  in  the  sweetest  embrace  ;  or,  they  drown  together,  and 
are  taken  up  locked  in  each  other's  arms;  or,  the  man  shoots 
the  woman,  and  taking  her  upon  his  bosons,  in  this  attitude 
shoots  himself!  This  is  love  —  this  is  to  be,  beloved  !" 

And,  thus  speaking,  he  kissed  the  pistol  in  his  grasp,  with  the 
air  of  one  who  embraces  a  1  -iiefactor  Poor  Paulina  had  not  a 


HOW    MAD    AilCH  Y    C  \M!M',i:!. I.    \V.)\    HIS    BRIDE. 

word  to  utter.      When  tli<>  reitor  prepared  t«»  officiate.  Campl-ell 

still  kept  one  of  tlif  pi>tols  in  hit  .:nl.  sometimes,  as  it'  nn- 

;oiis]y,  would    point   it,   taking   aim   the   while,  with   a 

.  at  the  mirror,  or  the  picture*  against  the  wa!' 
through  the  windows.  To  the  ceremonial  requisitions,  Paulina 
iroopinirly  ;  —  an  action  that  the  rector  preferred  to  con- 
stiue  into  a  proof  of  modesty  rather  than  of  fear.  lint  the  cere- 
ninny  was  performed  ;  and, flinging  a  pnr.xe  containing  ten  guin 
eas  into  the  hands  of  the  parson,  Cainp'hell  exclaimed  — 

"  We  have  <aved  the  horse,  Paulina  :  I  knew  we  should  :  hnt 
it  is  at  the  peril  OJ  life.  I'y  Jupiter,  hnt  he  will  Mvear!'' 

We  must  do  our  madman  the  justice  to  say  that  he  closed  the 
•aony  hy  most  affectionately  kissing  the  hride,  and  hy  wrap 
jiinir  her  in  an  en:':  fervent    :•- 

devoted  lover.      Then,  leavinj*  her  with  the   :•  -al 

lied   forth    to   ^ive   orders  fur  the  liar:  f  his  trotter  to  the 

vehicle.* 

"  This  is  a  strange  proceeding.  Mrs.  ramphell  ;"  remarked  the 

••  \Viy.  -ir,"  cried  the  newly-weilded  wif--,  rl.-.spi  i^-  her  hands 
with  strong  emotion  ;  —  "  hut  what  could  1  do  ?" 

Further  explanations  were,  perhaps,  fortunately  anoted  at 
tliis  moment,  hy  a  clamor  and  a  loud  sli.»utin«r.  which  sounded 
from  the  road  without.  The  rector  mov  >d  to  the  entrance,  fol 
lowed  l.y  Paulina,  and  there  dix-overed  a  P»ritish  dragoon,  riding 
at  full  speed  up  to  the  dwelling.  Meanwhile,  har 

nessed  to  »he  1  Arehy.and  that  worthy,  more  ma^niti- 

cent  than  ever  in  his  carriage,  was  ji'>t  al  ..nt  a>-  "i.din^  (),,, 
I  of  tin1  pia/.xa,  when  arrested  hy  the  appe.i  the 

This  dragoon,  as  the  reader  will  readily  conjecture,  was  the 
fujritive  who  had  succeeded  in  making  his  e.vcajte  from 

*  It  may  1..-  it  ]>r»\ ••  •  i   tluit  lJi.>  • 

Tia^'.'  thai  'If^nt.-.l,  >\:>\    >    '          .      .  •-,  un.i.-r   il  n-umnUin- 

•6C,  » 

M  nlmve.      I  !••,  hininrlf,  mil •!*••<] IUMI 1 1  v  rt-|><irt«-.|  all  lli«-  pnrtirnlnr*.      W««  niny 
».1«1.  th:it    lon<_'   ft!"!- r.  Mi-,  t'i  ;  ;  1.,-H    u.linitte«!    that  *!>• 

»u-l  t.rriti.-.i  into  tli.-   :i.-t  ;   llii!    ^1,,.    lui.l    i-  .  \rchy 

for  u  lni"l>iiii.l 


830 


K  ATM  A  RISE    WALTON. 


"Quarter  House,"  and  from  tl,o  -rasp  of  Walton's  partisan,,  at 
the  moment  when  his  companion  was  taken.  He  had  been 
pursued,  for  several  miles,  very  closely  l,y  a  couple  of  Walton's 
troopers;  but,  through  the  merits  of  his  stout  English  dragon,, 
horse,  had  heen  fortunate  enough  to  leave  them  hehind  him. 
That  they  still  pursued,  he  had  no  reason  to  question,  and  a  cer 
tain  urgent  conviction  of  his  danger,  led  him  very  readily  to 
place  himself  entirely  under  the  direction  of  Mad  Archv.  '  II,. 
had  almost  unconsciously  followed  the  track  of  Campbell'* 
wheels,  and  now  only  drew  his  breath  with  ease,  when  lie  found 
himself  in  the  presence  of  so  famous  a  fire-eater ! 


DOW   BALFOL'U  BPEGDC    I\    HI-   WOOING.  bttl 


CHAPTER   XXXVI. 

HOW    BALFOUR    SPREES    IN    HIS    WOOING. 

IF  anything  moved  by  what  he  heard,  the  feelings  of  Camp 
hell,  as  he  listened  to  the  narrative  of  the  dragoon,  were  rather 
of  a  sort  t«»  welcome  tlie  tidings  with  delight,  than  to  recoil  : 
them  with    apprehension.      Strife,  tumult,  the  hazard  of  the  die, 
the   rare    provocation   to   wild    adventure,   were    things    grateful 
to    his    impnh-ive    temper.      But    he    subjected    the    IK. 
cl<-e   and    M-nsihle   cross-examination.      From   him,  ho\\  e\ «  r,  l.e 
gathered    little   beyond   the   simple  facts  detailed  at  his  tii>t  en 
trance.      HO\\-    he    and    his   comrade,    had    heen    surprised    by   H 

'lie  latter  knocked   down   and  taken,  and  hit. 
pursued  till  within   three  miles  of  the   parsonage;  —  this  was  all 
that    he   could    tell.      Of   the    captivity  of  Williamson    he    knew 
nothing.      Oamphell   readily  conjectured    it  ;   and, 
t<»  he  the  object  of  the  expedition  of  the  par 

1    the    full    danger  of   the   captive.      He 

suaded.  from    what    he    heard,  that    they   had    disappeared    : 
the    scene   of  action    as   soon   as   thev  had    .secured    their   victim. 
Hi-  rearmed  for   their   policy   >\ith   reference  to  their  i;« 
and  reasoned  justly.     A  s<juad  of  fifty  light-horse  were  not  likely 
to   linger  long   in   a  neighborhood    » 
after  such  an  adventure.    HU  decision  was  taken  ah:  .tly. 

"  Paulina,  mv   love,  let   us   lie   oiT !      \Ye    must    j»ush  with    all 
speed  for  the  city  !      Not  a  moment  to  spare, 
a  thousand    thanks,  for   the   .spontaneous    manner  in  which 
have  complied  with  my  \\i>' 

This  was   spoken  with    a   delightful    grin,  that    CAOMCl    ;t 


&•••'  K  A  THAU  INK    WALTON. 

suffusion  upon  the  cheek  <if  the  rector.  But  the,  disij-uiet  which 
he  felt  did  not  prevent  him  from  expostulating  \vitli  the  husband 
upon  tlie  peril  of  taking  his  wile  with  him  upon  such  an  adven 
ture,  threatened,  as  he  was,  with  enemies  upon  the.  road. 

"You  will  surely  leave  Mrs.  Campbell  in  my  protection, 
nntil " 

"Devil  a  hit  will  I  !  In  your  protection,  forsootli  !  As  well 
ask  me  to  employ  the  wolf  to  keep  my  Hocks.  IIo  !  ho  !  rever 
ent  sir.  He  who  has  hut  a  single  diamond,  and  that  so  precious, 
will  do  \\  ell  to  keep  it  in  his  single  hosom  only.  Shall  I  just  get 
a  wife  to  part  with  her  so  soon?  I  were  as  mad  as  my  worst 
enemies  are  pleased  to  consider  me,  were  I  to  do  so  ridiculous  a 
thing;  and,  sufl'er  me  to  say,  nuvning  no  particular  personal  dis 
paragement  to  yourself,  Mr.  Ellington,  that  1  have  no  such  faith 
in  your  cloth,  as  to  leave  to  any  of  the  brotticrhood  the  keeping 
of  my  ewe  lamb.  She  goes  with  inc.  She  is  a  soldier's  wile.  \Ye 
will  encounter  the  danger  together.  You  shall  carry  one  of  my 
pistols/  Paulina  !  You  shall!  They  are  both  charged  with  a 
brace  of  bullets!  And  when  I  say  the  word,  look  you,  then 
shall  you  thrust  out  the  weapon  thus,  full  in  the  face  of  the 
assailant,  and,  keeping  your  eye  open  all  the  time,  you  will  pull 
tenderly  upon  this  little  bit  of  curved  iron,  do  you  see,  and  leave 
the  icst  of  the  ail'air  to  me!" 

Campbell  suited  the  action  to  the.  word,  while  giving  these 
instructions.  The  rector  was  too  much  disconcerted  by  his 
speech  to  expostulate  any  further,  and  the.  bold-hearted  Paulina 
Mas  as  much  subdued  as  if  she  had  been  caged  for  six  months 
on  bread  and  water. 

to  your  pistols!"  said  Campbell  to  the  dragoon,  as  he 
lifted  the  passive,  wife  into  the  vehicle.  "  \Ye  shall  have  a  glo 
rious  day  of  it,  Paulina.  Hy  my  soul,  you  urc  a  heroine! 
There,  my  angel,  I  put  one  of  these  bull-dogs  behind  you.  Jle 
sh-ill  give  tongue  at  a  moment's  warning.  You  do  not  fear,  eh  /" 
No  !"  was  the  faint  respmi.se. 

"1  thought,  not  ' — (Jood-by  to  ye,  pars.m  !  We  shall  pay  you 
another  visit  at  seed-time,  and  harvest,! — There,  my  lad!" 
throwing  the  .servant  a  couple  of  shillings.  "  And  now,  my 
bio  -d.  my  beauty,  now  that  I  have  saved  you  from  the  rapacioui 


HOW   I'.Ai.mri:  SPEEDS   IN    m<   fl 

,.  show   your   uratitude   liy    -houm-  your   ' 

"  Phew  :"  — a  wild  whistle,  followed  l.y  a  tlouri-h.  Bin  ;:>rp 

application  ->f  the  whip,  and  the  iroodly  trotter  \v«  nt   oil'  at   a   hound 
that  so..!!  left  the  parsonage  out  of  M-ht  hehind  them. 

'.v  am  I  the  happiest  of  living  men,  Paulina  :     I  have  ti 
B   and    the   loveliest    wife  in  the  country  '     I  shall  mark  tin 
with  a  \\hitr  stone  in  my  calendar.      How  that  inanieluke.  old  V 
will  irrowl  !     P,y  .Jupiter,  a   treble   triuinpli  !     I    have   not   only    won 

i.ut    conquered    him.    and    saved    IJiuvplialt;-  '      My    pfed 
what  say  you:  shall  we  make  the   drive  to  Charleston  in    an    \\> 

n  do  it  !  " 
"  It  will  kill  your  h 

•    : y  likely  '     But  I  feel  happy  enough  to  ])«•  killing  s<»m<  thini:. 
and  if  tli'  i>el-  do  not  give  as  8   chance  at    them.  I    shall    hi- 

wolfish  !••  .-t  in  town.      I  lark  you,  my  -ood    fellow,"  to    the 

•"ii.  "  iio\v  many  pur-ued  you.  do  \ 

••  Tu,,.  major,  that  I  >aw  <!OM- after  me.      Ti  maoj   more 

at   the  '  (Quarter.*  " 
'    1 1 » \\   1 1 . 
"  ^^  'i-e  liian  lifty." 

'    oidy    two    pursued    you"     Why  the  d     1  didn't  you 
HiMil.  v.  lien  \«,u  had  drawn  them  out  of  the  reach  of  tl  ff^  " 

You  \\ere  well  armed,  had  yur  ^-ilin-  and  pi-1 
'    One  of  them  I  had  already  emptied,  major." 

"  Well  '   the  other  w:i-  enough  ;   the  -word    for  oi f  the   i 

and  the  pistol  for  hi-  m.-r  \..u.  m\-  .j- 1  fellow,  if  you  ^how 

better  spirit  while  with  me,  I'll  ihool  ymi  m\  my  \\ife 

shall  do  ii  '  l.ook  you,  I'aiilina.  u-e  \.-ur  pi-tol  upon  this  I. • 
dragoon  the  moment  that  you  see  him  di-j»ox,.,l  to  skulk.  Tha' 
mav  l.e  alilr  !•>  do  it  de\.  r'v.  i  •:  tho 

left  ;    keep   jil-t   tiv.  that   \«>u  may  he    \\ilhin 

•id  -( c  that  you  keep  up.  I  warn  \  «.u  lhal  \«-u  u  ill 
have  to  gallop  like  thunder  if  you  expect  to  d<>  no  :  hut  if  you  do  n..t 
keep  up  the  Phili-tiiies  will  U- upon  you  '  Phew!"  and  the  u-ual 
whi-tle  concluded  the  -peech.  and  W9M  f"li-  •'  tlouri-li 

and  -mack  of  the  whip. 

The  dragoon    oU-yi-d    order-:   placed    him-elf    on    the    left    of  the 


•'>-'M  K  ATM  A  I,' INK    WAI/FOX. 

vehicle,  and  rode  under  Ilie  constant  terror  of  flic  lady's  pistol.  Tlie 
d  Of  Campbell's  trotter  kept  the  dragoon's  rhnnrer  at  a  strain, 
and.  a-  he  h;id  been  compelled  to  tax  his  utmost  Mren^th  .".nd  spirit 
in  his  flight  from  the  partisans  Mad  Aivhy  \\a-  soon  forced  \- 
that  if  he  did  not  relax  in  his  requisitions,  the  poor  1  i  a-i  ».f  the  dra- 
.n-Doii  would  be  dead  foundered  and  broken-winded. 

"Ho!  there!  It's  a  bore  to  hold  him;  but  d— n  your  (least,  I 
must  not  kill  him  if  I  kill  my  own,  and  to  leave  you,  without  the 
protection  of  myself  and  wife,  would  be  pretty  much  to  kill  YOU  too. 
The  rebels  would  swallow  you  at  a  mouthful.  So  hold  up,  and  let 
the  elephant  creep  awhile  in  the^e  sandy  pla<  . 

The  drairoon  \vas  very  well  pleased  to  do  a-  he  was  comma'nded. 
He  Irid  a:i  allVctio:)  foj-  his  charter,  which,  pressed  much  longer  as  he 
had  h"en,  would,  he  well  knew,  1  e  very  soon  in  a  condition  render 
ing  Him  fit  for  do^'s  meat  only.  The  progress  of  both  hordes  sub- 
si.ii-.i  for  \\hileinto  a  walk,  Campbell  taking  advantage  of  every 
•  of  hard  -round,  Jo  make  up  by  an  increased  speed  for  lost  time. 
In  this  \vay  Ihey  reached  the  "  Quarter  House"  without  encountering 
any  interruption 

saw  no  enemie..  It  is  probable  that  the  partisans  of  Walton. 
l!n,.inur  t  lie  pursuit  of  the  dragoon  una\  ailinir.  and  content  with  hav 
ing  driven  him  oiT  suliieiently  far,  wheeled  about  and  took  the  route 
back,  ax  in-!ructcd  by  their  superior.  It  is  possible  only  that  they 
lurked  in  concealment  on  the  road-side  and  forbore  the  attack  upo-i 

a  party  of  which  one  of  the  number  was  a  woman.  At  tin-  "  Quar 
ter  I!  iiipbeH  (obtained  full  particulars  from  the  llOStCSS,  of 

the  sei/.urt-  of  \Viliianiso, i.  He  al^  »  dixc.ivered  by  whom  lie  had 
been  made  captive.  Charged  with  ihe^e  pariinilar.-,  lie  |.iis|ied  with 
all  speed  for  the  city,  leaving  the  dragoon  to  follow  at  his  leisure,  the 
ro.nl  thence  beiiiLT  '  oioidered  >afc  from  the  partisans. 

\\'<     pan    (tver    imii'-cessaiy    detail-;.      The     reader    will     sup 
the   newly-married    \vife,    "so    wildly  strangely    won," 

1<>    h  .  i     at     h'T   o\vn    habita 

tion.  .Mad  Anliy  then  hurri.-d  a\\ay  to  Balfour's  quarter-, 
where  he  found  the  ii-ual  -ii;ml  at  the  entrance,  lint  Balfour 


HO  v    BALPOUR   SPEEDS    IN    His   wooiNd. 


himself  '•'•  1  our  r.enedick    proceeded  to  seek  liiin  at 

his  usual   liaunts.      Hut    he  failed  in  tin-   .search  at   !  >mi- 

oil  in  Oneen  Mreet  ;    failed  equally  at  tin*  house  of  tin-  beautiful 
11.  in    Heaufain  ;    and,  after  vain    imjuirie- 

he  ;.t  length  obtained  a  clew  \\hich  conducted  him 

ton,  in  Church    .street.      Hut,  before    jv.u  hh:g 

thi>  point,  lie  contrived,  iu  j-a^iirj.  i<>  st,.p  at   Stork's  qnnrt 

and    rep  ^.  uliich    lie    emilil    searrrlv  li«>ju-    to    inak- 

iVin^  to  the  old  major  a>  they  u  err  to  himself.  He  found  the 
BlAJor  engaged  ai  his  toilet  for  the  evening.  A  few  worils  sutiiced 
to  empty  his  hud-et  of  the  matter  nm.st  intei  t^tin. 

"  '1  rk  ;    they   are    now   aUolntely  n- 

to  my  Mtabltebinent." 

"  \Vhat  do  \  MU  mean,  fool  .'" 

".Mean!      That  1   am   married,  and   to  Paulina  Plieljis.      The 
Sultana  i^  mine,  and  that  saves  me  the  Sultan." 
"  1  )  .n't  helie\  •  I  <>!  it,"  Mid  -1"" 

••  V.    j    1  ,.    .  .   ;    hut  yni  will  ha\e  to  lnd;i-ve  in  fear  an-! 
hlin^r  —  an«i  |  ur  slow  faith    in  tin-   har^ain.      \Ve 

hitJied  for  liie,  man  ami  wife,  this  very  day,  at  tin-  ». 
jiar>'»;!.lr;e,    1'Jlin^ton,   the    rector,    presiding,   and    ynr    lill 
servant   submitting.      Von  will    hear   all    >»i«.u    rnnu^lt.      1 

I    until    y«-u    a:  0d  ;    lnit  that  \\  ;il    1  • 

inon  nile.    the  --  work    on    hand  —  ;. 

ral  Williamson  ha-  I  .-en  eaptnred  \ty 
the  rebels,       I'leax-  prepare  are-'i-.lin^ly." 

•  ^one  with  a  madman,  as    y«»u    a,e.      'I'he    • 

-il.le  " 

l>  1  grant  yOUj    liut  nevertlu-less  «juite  true." 
••  ll    it    he    Bo,  liy    all    the    p«.\\ei  ,    pray    tint     llailey 

>u    ejuiti-    inditleicnt    t«»   your  wife   and    n 
I'll  help  him  to  cut  youi   tliro.-it  ;    hy  (i  —  d.  I  will!" 

"  I  tliink  y.nir  ma! 

taJkin^  of  throat-Catting,  remind>   me   ti 
\s  i:i  ilan-^er  of  a  short-cord,  ;md  five   minutes  only  to 

ill     it.         He     \\  U     Cap!  •  1     Wai:-"'     \\ith     «• 

party,  at  the  Cv>u.i  ••.      1    am  m»w  looking  ; 

him  the  tidings." 


K. \TIIA  KINK    WALTON. 

"  Well  ;  lu1  will  be  grateful  for  them,  no  doubt.  Seek  him  at 
the  widow  Singleton's.  He  is  there  now  pretty  constantly. 
The  star  in  the  ascendant  is  Walton's  daughter.  He  will  be 
delighted  to  show  her  how  many  are  the  obligations  he  o\svs  to 
the,  family." 

Leaving  the  old  major  in  no  good  humor,  Campbell  immedi 
ately  proceeded  to  tin-,  designated  dwelling,  where  he  found 
Balfourin  no  pleasant  humor  ; at  the  interruption.  But,  when  he 
heard  the  intelligence  brought  by  JMad  Archy,  he  was  aghast. 
It  took  him  no  long  time  to  learn  all  the  particulars,  and  to 
anticipate  all  the  consequences." 

"Great  (Iml  !"  said  he,  "  Walton  will  hang  him  !" 

"  Very  likely,"  was  the  cool  reply.  ..."  When  a  man  turns 
traitor  to  his  color>,  hanging  forms  a  part  of  the  understanding. 
It  is  the  peril  always  incurred  in  such  cases." 

44  But  we  must  save,  iiim  if  we  can  !" 

"  Jf  they  mean  to  hang  him  at  all,  it  is  probably  too  late. 
Uope  and  tree  a;v.  too  convenient  in  our  forests,  to  render  much 
delay  nece>sary." 

"  They  n  °.y  delay  with  the  vie'  to  a  formal  trial.  A  provin 
cial  colonel  will  seldom  venture  on  any  such  decided  measure  us 
••x.-cution  without  trial." 

"  According  to  all  accounts,  Walton  is  an  exception  to  this  rule. 
Tin-  .surprise  and  capture  show  boldness  enough,  here,  within 
live  miles  of  the,  city  ;  and  why  this  audacity,  unless  they 
d.-MLrned  \o  make  an  example  of  the  captive?" 

"(J  ranted  ;  but  a  hurried  execution  .sill  a  fiord  no  such  example, 
as  they  req'iiie.  They  will  aim  at  an  ostentatious  exhibition  of 
their  justice.  In  that  is  our  hope.  We  must  move  promptly. 
Campbell,  do  you  get  your  command  in  readiness.  (',«  to  Major 
Fraser,  instantly,  and  let  him  call  out  (ill  the  cavalry  of  the 
garrison.  To  horse,  (ill  nf  ///;//,  and  scatter  in  pursuit.  There  ib 
no  time  to  be  lost." 

I!  mands  were  instantly  obeyed  ;  and,  stripping  the  city 

of  all  it:;  horse,  Major  Fraser  led  his  forces  that  very  night  in 
pursuit  of  our  partisans.  Mad  Archy  was  hurried  away  with 
his  squadron,  with  a  moment  only  allowed  him  for  leave-taking 
with  his  wife,  lie  bore  the  necessity  like  a  philosopher  of  t/.e 


Mn\V     BAI  IN     III-     WnuLVi. 


•toic  order.      I'oLlinjr   tin-    lady  in    an    emhracc  rather   more  fer 
vent    than    BCmptdoUB,  In1    hade  her 

ira^c  proper  to  a  soldier's  wife. 

-hall    pay    for  our   privation.-,  Paula-Paulina  ! 

I  almost  wish  that   I   were  a  Cherokee.  that   I    :  in-tilied 

in  W-inirini:  you  a  score  ..fsealps  for  your  l>ri»l;il  trophi, 
if  there  he  any  so,,ty  captive-   to   he   taken,  you  shall  bav€  s 

enough.    Theue,  my  heauty  !     One  more  smack]     K 

it'  1  jirri>li,  St.  uk  has   nu  claim  ujxni  my  Arahian,  and  j 

a    claim    for   lit't\   guineas    n|io:i    him.       I    may  die    in  your  drht, 

Pacla-Paalin*,  hut  not  in  his.      Tlu-n-  !   aimtlu-r! 

A:id  with    this   characteristic   .-jircih    and  ji.-rtin-  :cliy 

hurried  fioiu  the  dwelling,  leaving   his  wi!e  <|i;ite    UIIJMI 
deterniiue  \\heth<-r    liis    death    in    hattle  \\onld   reallv  Lean  e\  il 
or  a  l:le>sin^.      \\\-  must  in  charity  coiu-iinle  that   her  ' 
were  iinally  put  at  rot   hv  coiudu>ions  tavMrahh-  to  tl:r:.r  mutual 
fortune. 

We   must    not    forget  u  hat    took    jdace    bel  t    ai.d 

Katharine  Walton,  when,   after    the    departure    of  Aivl  v  <  'an.p- 
iiell,  he  returned  to  the  apartment  where    he    had    left    !.•  ••.      He 
Iiail    been,  as  we  may  conjecture,  ur^in^   iml::- 
liei   ic-«  rves  had  too  much  .  j  ed  to  siiiVer  him  to  ; 

policy  more    frank.      He    had    heen    doin^  the  •  his 

fashion.  l,u-  a  ^.,..11  lioiir  hefuic  C'ani].hell  had  appe,: 

•  •t,    his    deportment    had    heen    iorhearin^    and    un«> 
his  solicitude  had  heen    as  gentle  and  delirate 
his  nature;    marked,  indeed,  hv  a  device   of  timid,' 
heen  steadily  on  ti  .-  from  the  moment  when  hi>  in:- 

first     h'-Lran,   in     the     lady    and     her    fortunes.      Ti  Tni£ 

di-rnity  of  her  chai'acter    had  si-nsihly  coerced    and 

:nd  he  was  thus,  j  >mpelh'd 

t«»  sut.mit  to  an  influence  \\  hich  he  felt  as  a  curh,  from  which  he 
would  have  found  it    a    real  to  Weak  away,  if.  in  d 

this,    he    should    n.-t     there 

grateful  to  him  than  the  license  which  he  Lived.     On  t; 
occasion,  the    tidin..  Ill    him    of  Willian  'ure,  and 

it'  Walton^  agency  in    thai   r\r    |  mind 

of  a  mode  of  accounting  \\i;h  the  da  the  n-h«  1,  in   such 


KATHAU'XK    WALTON. 

a  way,  as  not  to  compromise  his  own  suit,  yet  to  enable  him  in 
smne  degree  to  exercise  his  freedom. 

"  Miss  Walton,"  lie  said,  with  serious  countenance,  "my  esteem 
for  you  conies  gu'r.tly  in  conflict  with  my  duty." 

"  How  so,  sir  /" 

••  V"ii  cr.!  not  know  how  indulgently  I  have  forhorne  in  you* 
case  already,  to  the  great  annoyance  of  all  the  loyalists  in  the 
garrison.  Hut  I  have  just  received  intelligence  which  makes 
it  almost  criminal  for  me  to  regard  any  oi  your  name  with 
favor." 

"Indeed,  sir?"   curiously,  hut  with  a  smile. 

"Yes,  indeed,  Miss  Walton.      Your  father  —  " 

"Ah!  sir:    what  of  my  lather.'"   more,  anxiously. 

"He  seems  resolute,  to  deprive,  his  friends  of  all  power  of  Ha 
ving  him,  or  saving  his  daughter." 

A  pause.     He  was  answered  only  with  a  smile. 

"  You  do  not  seem  curious,  Miss  Walton  ?" 

"Well,  sir  —  since  yon  desir"  it  —  what  of  my  father  /' 

"  He  lias  done  that,  Miss  Walton,  which,  in  the  case  of  any 
other  rehel,  would  conduct  all  his  connections  to  the  provost, 
and  w>.rk  a  rumplete  forfeiture,  of  all  their  possessions,  and  of  all 
hope  of  the  future  favor  of  our  sovereign.  lie  has  audaciously 
Kurpi'ised  and  captured  (jeneral  Williamson,  almost  within  sight 
of  the  garrison." 

"General  Williamson  \\  as  a  traitor  to  his  country!  I  see 
nothing  in  tins  hut  the  act  of  an  open  enemy,  and  such  my 
father  has  frankly  avowed  himself  to  your  so\er<  ';;n  and  his 
armies." 

"  Very  tine;  hut  (ieneral  Williamson,  if  a  traitor  to  the  rehel 
cause,  is  true  lo  that  of  h's  Sovereign.  If  a  hair  of  his  head  suf 
fers  at  the  hands  of  your  father,  I  fear,  Miss  Walton,  that  his 
pardon  will  he  impossible." 

"  It  will  he  time  enough,  Colonel  Halfour,  to  think  of  his  par 
don,  when  the  attitude  of  my  father  shall  he  that  of  supplication." 

The  maiden  answered  proudly.  Balfour's  reply  was  made 
with  a  deliberate  ravit  which  l.ad  its  effect  on  his  hearer  in 


own 


41  And  you  may  ve.y  soon    hehold    him    in    that  attitude,  Mm* 


HOW  BALKvu'i;  >IM-:I:I)>  i\   HIS  \\UOL\<;. 

Walton  ;  needing  and  e.  *reatinjr  mercy  without  finding  it.  1 
have  been  compelled  to  order  <>ut  inv  entire  cavalrv  in  pursuit 
They  will  spare  im  speed  —  they  will  forego  no  efforts,  for  the 
recapture  of  (Irncral  Williamson,  ami  the  destruction  of  the 
!  s<ju;i<ln>n.  Should  they  succeed,  which  is  highly  prohalde 
—  should  your  lather  fall  into  their  hands,  I  shall  not  he  nhle  to 
answer  for  his  life.  It  will  need  all  my  efforts,  ami  I  shall  lahor 
in  the  very  teeth  of  duty,  if  I  strive  t,  .-ave  him  from  his  fate. 
What  shall  move  me  to  these  exertions  —  why  should  I  so  lahor 
MI  his  hehalf?  There  is  hut  one  consideration,  M:>s  Walton, 
hut  one  !  Your  hand,  your  heart,  vour  affections,  in  return  lor 
which  I  now  prolVer  you." 

II. •  t«»ok  her  hand  as  he  spoke  these,  words,  hut  she  instantly 
withdrew  it  from  his  ;rrasp. 

"Colonel  Halfour,  let    me  entreat  you  to  he  silent  on  this  suh- 

and  at  such    a  moment   as   the    present.      You  descrihe  my 

father  to  he  in  a  situation  of  irreat    danger.      I  am   not    prepared 

•dievo    in    th;s    danger.      Put    if  your    report    1  e    triH-.  it    is 

neither    a    •  .:-imi' v  th.  '    1 

should  be  «-d  to  this  e!l'.'i-t.  and  at  this  junetui  «•.      Let  mo 

he«r  your  forhcarance.      You  have  ^iven   me  sutiicient   cause   for 

sa>i  thought  ;    for  apprehensions  \\hich  forhid  all  con.sideration  of 

il'ject  of  \\iiicii  you  speak." 

"  I'tit  you  do  not  forhid  the  suhject  /"   he  a^ked  eaLr«'rlv. 

"And  of  \\hat  avail  that  I  should?  I  have  already.  m<>re 
than  once,  entreated  your  forhearance.  If  I  could  hop,-  that 
my  command  would  he  regarded,  when  my  entreaty  is  ii"t,  the 
should  he  spoken.  Is  it  not  enough  that  I  tell  you  that 
the  Mihjert  if  ungracious  to  me,  that  you  only  «;ive  me  pain,  that 
I  can  not  >ee  you  in  the  character  which  you  assin. 

"  It  is  no  a>-um{)tion.  It  is  felt,  it  is  real!  '  '.ton,  I 

lo\e  y(,u  ||  ti-rviMitly  as  man  e\er  yet  loved  w.nnan." 

He  threw  himself  at  her  feet,  and  a^ain  e;  i  to  }K)gflO61 

himself  of  her  hand.  She  rose  calmly,  and  with  diu 

"Colonel  Halfour,  this  mu.-t  '  I  must  leave  you.  I 

CAII  not  entertain  your  suit.  That  you  :nay  he  sure  that  I  am 
sincere,  know  that  my  affections  are  wholly  ^iven  to  another." 

"Wlmt!"   ho  cried,  with   an   in-.j  dmost  amounting  to 


340  KATHAIUXK    WALTON. 

anger,  which  he  did  not  endeavor  to  conceal ;  "  win  t  !  is  ft 
then  true  ?  You  are  engaged  to  that  rascally  outlyer,  Single 
ton  ?" 

"Enough,  Colonel  Balfour  ;  this  was  not  necessary  to  satisfy 
me  of  your  character,  and  to  teach  me  what  is  due  to  mine.  1 
leave  you,  wX  lu  future,  I  Khali  much  prefer  that  we  should 
not  meet." 

"You  w'U  repent  this  haste,  Miss  Walton  !" 

"  I  may  suffer  for  it,  sir !" 

"  By  the  Eternal,  hut  you  shall  suffer  for  it !" 

She  waived  her  hand  with  dignity,  bowed  her  head  slightly, 
and  passed  into  an  inm-r  apartment.  The  lips  of  Balfour  were 
firmly  set  together.  He  watched  with  eyes  of  fiery  hostility  the 
door  through  which  the  maiden  had  departed  ;  then,  after  the 
pause  of  a  few  seconds,  striking  his  fist  fiercely  upon  the  table, 
he  exclaimed — 

"  She  shall  pay  for  this,  by  all  that's  damnable  !" 

In  the  next  moment  he  darted  out  of  the  dwelling,  and  made 
his  way,  with  mixed  feelings,  which  left  him  doubtful  K  'iere  to 
turn,  toward  the  residence  of  la  belle  Harrty. 


WALT"\'- 


(MI  A  1'T  I!  II    XXXVII. 
WAI.TMN'S  <  AMP. 


THK  Htir  and  excitement  in   the  ^ood  city  of  Charleston,  now, 

had  scarcely  been  equalled  by  ;iny  event  occurring  since  its  con- 
t    liy  tin-  British.      Tin-  loyalists  were  everywhere  in  alarm, 
dreading  that  every  moment's  intelligence  would  hrinj;  them  ac 
counts   of   the    Minimary  execution    of    Williamson  ;    and    in    his 
.  they  perceived    louerin^   intimations   of  their   own,  at   tlie 
hands  of  the  patriots,    should  the  events  of  war  throw  them  into 
tin-  same  predicament.      For  tin*  same  reason,  the  patriots  in  the 
city  writ-    in    a   hi^h   state   of  exultation.      The  aven^ 
work  to  redress  their  g|  ,  am!  to  exact  Moody  atonement 

for    the    wrongs,  the    insults,  the    injuries,  which    they  had    : 
made    to    sutler.      The    exertions   of  the  offieOTl  in  garrison,  had 
•he    entire    cavalry  of  the    1!riti*h   in   motion,  S....M  after  the 
commands  of  I'.alf..ur    had    Leen  Driven;    and  that  very  ni«:l 
v,-»»  have  -ecu.  Maj«'i    I  'laser,  \v  it  h    nn    ample    force,  set    forth    in 
|  ui  ,uit    of    Walton.      Of   cour-e    hutli    parties  were  in  .: 
(Mjual  excitement    for   the  re.-ult    of  i  itlOIL       1'i'a^er  oh- 

tained  his  eh-\\  '<•,  and  war;  soon  a<  <  )nr 

ac(|iiaintance,  mad  Archy  ('amplu-ll,  we  may  mention,  condi 
one    of  the    stron^-'st    of  his    iletaidnnents,  whicdi    wen*   all    - 
dispersed  in  several  directions,  as  the  whole     I'  them  approached 
the  Kdisto.      Leaving  them  to  Irmt  out    their  gninc  as  they  best 
could,  let  us  once  more  join  the  j 

Walton  had  selected,  for  his  temporary  camp,  a  very  pretty 
spot  on  the  east  hank  of  the  ('..ml-ahe.'  II-  own  <juarter» 
were  taken  up  in  the  ilwellinj:-h«»u.xe  of  the  plantation  which  hit 
occu]>ied  —  an  airy,  comfortable  habitation,  the  proprie 


342  K  A  THAU  INK    WALTON. 

tors  o/  which  were  in  exile.  His  sentinel*  and  videttes  were  BO 
placed  as  to  secure  all  the  avenues  to  the  place,  and  his  scouts 
ranged  freely  for  a  considerable  distance,  around  it.  With  ordi- 
ry  vigilance  on  the  part  of  the  subordinates  to  whom  these  du 
tics  were  assigned,  there  could  be  no  possible  danger  of  MII 
prise  ;  and  the  commander  of  the  party,  feeling  himself  secure, 
was  enabled  to  bestow  his  attention  upon  his  several  prisoners 
Major  Proctor  was  one  of  thes<>  prisoners,  but  he  was  held  ii. 
no  duresse  beyond  that  of  courtesy  ;  his  word  being  taken  that 
he  would  make  no  endeavor  to  escape,  if  subjected  to  no  bonds 
but  those  of  honor.  Even  these  were  to  be  released,  now  that 
an  interval,  supposed  to  be  suilicient  for  safety,  had  been  tlin  wn 
between  the  partisans  and  all  pursuers  from  the  city.  It  was  ;;t 
dinner  that  day  that  Colonel  Walton  was  pleased  to  say  to  his 
guest,  or  prisoner,  that  he  should  be  free  in  the  morning  to  depart. 

"  You  will  need,"  said  he,  "  less  than  two  days'  easy  riding 
to  reach  town,  and  may  as  well  remain  till  to-morrow,  and  take 
an  early  start  with  the  sun.  I  trust,  Major  Proctor,  that  you 
will  have  seen  in  your  detention  thus  far  nothing  less  than  an 
absolute  necessity,  which  1  could  not  escape." 

44  I  have  nothing,  Colonel  Walton,  of  which  I  could  pnssihly 
complain.  You  have  treated  me  with  great  courtesv  and  kind 
ness,  and  the  release  which  you  grant  me,  without  any  euuiva 
lent,  is  a  debt  which  I  shall  always  cheerfully  acknowledge  and 

requite." 

While    dinner  was    under  discussion,  a  sergeant   made,  hi.-^  ap 
pearance    at  the    door  of  the  apartment,  and    summoned  M'Kel 
vey,  one  of  Walton's  oilicers,  away  from  the  company.      He  re 
turned  a  moment  after  with  the  tidings  that  one  of  the  prisoners 
bad  somehow  succeeded  in  making  his  escape. 

"  It  appears,  by  the  way,  Major  Proctor,"  said  M'Kel  vey, 
41  that  the  fellow  was  a  servant  of  yours.  This  I  have  just  as 
certained,  lie  was  taken  about  the.  same  time  with  yourself, 
while  returning  from  Dorchester." 

44  Ha  !"  exclaimed  Proctor,  with  surprise.  44  Is  it  possible! 
He  taken  ?" 

44  llad  you  mentioned  him,  major,"  said  Walton,  "  I  should 
have  placed  him  in  your  hands." 


WALTON'S  CAMP.  343 

"  It  is,  perhaps,  better  that    you  did    not.      Had    yon  done  so, 
I  had    most  pn.liaMy    .shot  liini.      He  is  a   scoundrel.      If   taken 
me  from   1  )i«rchi«<;er,  lie    was    a  >py  up  in    my    .'unions, 
hv  mv  enemies.      And  he  has  escaped  I* 

"  Within  an  hour,"  replied  M'Kelvey. 

"  You  will  do  well  to  pursue  him,"  said  Proctor.  M  He  ia 
a  consummate  scoundrel,  and  will  bring  y<  nr  enemies  upon 
y.-u." 

re-fly,  for    we    shall    he    away  hy    sunset,  leaving  yon  iu 
;i  of  the  mansion.      We  can  .-pare  no  time,  now,  f..r  pur 
suit,  and    the  fellow  is    not    worth    the  trouMe.      Had  we  k- 
his  relations  to  you  before,  we    mi^ht  have  prevented  this;     but 
—  fill,  Major  Proctor  ;    do  not  let  it  annoy  you.      This 
old  Madeira,  such  as  seldom  honors  our  camp." 

'led    the    ^rlass    mechanicallv  ;     ! 

with  thought,  and  his  imagination  readily  su^es'in;^  to  him  that 
circumstance^  had.  strangely  enough,   woven  around    him  a  weh 
of  increasing  meshes,  rendering  his    case  more    than    ever   com 
plicated.      With  an  effort,  he  .shook  otV  this   mood,  and  abruptly 
addr  !onel  Walton  in  reference  to  his  more  distinguished 

captive. 

"  Pardon  me.  Colonel  Walton,  but  you  have  another  p: 
Pray  tell  me  what  is  your  de>ign    with  regard  to  (lenernl    Wil 
liam 

"  He  is  a  traitor,  Major  Proctor,  to  our  cause!"  wa 
re  ply. 

"  Yes,  but " 

"  There  is  but  one  fate  for  Hiieh." 

"  Hut  tjnu  —  you  will  not  be  the  voluntary  instrument  of  pun- 
Uhment  ?" 

"  1   would  not  if   I  could  escnpi-  it.      If  it   I 

vey  him  to  the    hands  of  Marion  or  (Jreene,  1    would    gladly  do 
HO.  but " 

"'There  is    no  need  of  this.  K.-lvey    im 

patiently  ;  "  I  know  n 

unpleasant  duty  upon  othe:  "U»-  duty  to  t 

or  it  is  not.      lie  punishment,  or    he 

in  our  hands,  and  the  blood  of  our  father>,  IP  -mien  and 


344  KATHARINE   WA    TON. 

other  places,  by  Cornwallis  and  his  tory  allies,  demand  that  . 
shall  not  be  suffered  to  escape  without  his  deserts.  1  arn  for  QV 
ing  my  duty.  If  we  delay,  we  may  lose  him.  We  ought  not  l» 
lisk  the  chances  of  securing  justice,  by  any  wild  attempt  to  con 
vey  such  a  prisoner  quite  across  the  country,  from  the  extreme 
south  to  extreme  north,  from  Combahee  to  Lynch's  Creek,  only 
that  he  may  be  tried  and  punished  for  an  olVencc  of  which  he  is 
notoriously  guilty,  and  upon  which  we  have  the  right  to  sit  in 
judgment  and  to  execute.  Had  you  suffered  me,  he  should 
have  been  swinging  to  the  highest  tree  on  the  high  road  to 
Charleston,  in  twenty  minutes  after  he  was  taken." 

"  1  am  glad  you  did  not  consent  to  so  summary  a  procedure," 
said  Proctor  to  Walton. 

The  latter  eaid  gravely,  answering  M'Kelvey  : — 

"  Do  not  reproach  me,  Captain  M'Kelvey.  I  have  no  desira 
to  escape  m}  duties  when  1  clearly  recognise  them  to  be  such. 
As  for  this  inan,  Williamson,  we  have  ordered  him  for  examina 
tion  this  afternoon,  and  my  decision  will  depend  upon  what  shall 
be  then  educed  in  evidence.  I  hope  to  prove  myself  neither 
blood-thirsty  nor  weak.  If  his  death  can  he  shown  as  likely  to 
promote  our  cause,  he  shall  die,  though  I  myself  become  the 
executioner.  If  this  can  not  be  shown,  then  shall  he  live,  though 
I  myself  perish  in  defending  him.  In  this  reply,  Major  Proc 
tor,  you  too  are  answered.  As  you  remain  here  this  afternoon, 
you  will  please  be  present  at  his  trial.  1  prefer  that  you 
should  be  able,  as  an  impartial  witness,  to  report  truly  what 
we  do." 

"  This  privilege,  Colonel  Walton,  determines  mo  to  remain. 
But  for  this,  1  should  have  entreated  your  permission  to  depart  for 
the  city  instantly.  It  is,  indeed,  quite  important  to  my  own  in 
terests  that  1  should  be  there.  You  are,  perhaps,  not  aware 
that  I  too  labor  under  suspicions  which  seriously  threaten  my 
safety  ;  and  that  I  momently  expect  to  be  brought  to  trial  for 
something  like  treason  to  my  sovereign.  It  is  but  natural* 
therefore,  that  I  should  sympathi/.e  with  another  in  a  like 
danger,  though,  perhaps,  under  circumstances  exceedingly 
unlike." 

44  Yes,  indeed  :    there  can    be   no    comparison   in   the   facts  ti 


WALTOX'S  DAMP.  :;-4r> 

yonr  case  ami  those  in  the  easo  of  Williamson  Hut  what  arc 
pour  •  • 

"A  ibppOMd  participation  in  your  escape  at  I  )oirhe.ster — " 

"  Good  Heavens  !      Is  it  j.o^sil.lr  I" 

"  Ami  other  treasonable  conduct  evinced  durinj:  mv  command 
of  that  }>ost,  particularly  in  my  visits  and  supposed  intimacy 
with  yourself  and  family." 

"  Hut    my    testimony    would    acquit   you    of   all    these    alisurd 

etargi 

haps  ;  if  your  testimony  would  lie  received.  Hut 
you  forget  the  position  which  yu  yourself  occujiy  in  the  eye  <>f 
the  British  authoriti- 

•'  True  !    true  !      Hut  can  I  do  nothing  for  you  P 

"  N<  tiling  that   i  can  s.  merciful  to  this 

unfortunate  man  in  your  custody." 

Walton  grasped  the  hand  of  Pmrtor,  as  the  parties  rose  from 
the  talde.  He  made  no  other  rej.ly.  M'Kelvey  was  not  thus 
silent. 

•'  Meivy  to  .-:,  \d  to  our  people,  deny    that  so  ^reat  a 

traitor  should  have  merrv  '" 

This  I    alnnd.  and,  as  he    left  the  room,   he   muttered 

audihly  :  "  Would  that  I  had  run  him  up  to  the  first  nak  hefore 
we  left  tin-  A>hley." 

"  He  is  m>t  ti:c  proper  person  to  sit  on  this  trial.  Colour!  V.'al- 
t'-n,"  said  Prnrtor.  referring:  to  the  la-t  spraker. 

"  At    all  eyonts.  Major  Troctor,   I   shall  excri'ise  the  ili.-ei  etion 
of  a  supreme  jud^e  in  this  case.      I  do  not  say  that  we  may  not 
find    it    imjieralive  (••    condemn    this    man    to  instant    execution; 
hut   I  can  assure  you,  that    I  shall    feel    a  real    satisfaction    i: 
raping  from  such  conviction." 

Nothing  more  was  s;,id  upon  tin-  suhjeet.  PrOCtOI  wa<  h-ft 
for  awhile  to  himself,  and  employed  his  s"litude  in  Leconiin-,' 
meditation!  of  his  own  future  and  fcffiun.  He  !;;id  enough  to 
make  him  gloomy  and  apprehensive  '1  :  -•  intellipMire  ->t  tlm 
na^e  of  his  man  John  —  I'm-  such  it  evidently  uas  —  of  ]\\A 
capture  and  M  '  him  the  prohal-ility  ..f  new  aip!  un 

expected  involvements,  making  his  <  ieiOUf  in  char 

acter  and  more  diflicult  of  del'e.ire        It   was  only  with  a     '..    j.er 


346  KATHAHIXR    WALTON. 

ate  effort,  finding  liis  head  to  ache  under  the  embarrassments  of 

his  thought,  that  he  succeeded  in  giving  a  new  direction  to  hie 
meditations. 

Meanwhile,  Walton  had  ascertained  the  particulars  of  the  08- 
cape,  made  by  Proctor's  servant.  The  fellow  had  been  gone 
fully  three  hours  when  his  absence  was  first  discovered.  A  wo 
man,  bringing  in  fruits  and  vegetables  to  the  Vamp,  had  met 
him  several  miles  on  the  road  below,  and  described  his  person 
exactly.  Uy  what  means  he  had  escaped  the  vigilance  of  the 
sentinels  could  not  he  ascertained  ;  but  that  he  had  thus  suc 
ceeded,  counselled  Walton  to  a  strengthening  of  his  guards, 
which  accordingly  took  place.  Having  given  orders  to  his  offi 
cers  to  have  their  men  in  readiness  for  moving  across  the  Com- 
hahee  by  sundown,  Walton  prepared  for  the  examination  of 
Williamson.  The  great  hall  of  the  mansion  was  assigned  for 
this  purpose,  and  the  unfortunate  prisoner,  conscious  equally  of 
his  degradation  and  danger,  in  the  eyes,  ami  at  the  hands,  of 
his  old  associates,  was  brought  manacled  into  the  centre  of  a 
group,  in  whose  stern  faces  he,  read  no  sympathy,  and  from 
whose  harsh  judgments  he.  could  possibly  entertain  no  hope.  At 
the  very  moment  that  he  was  thus  brought  up  for  trial,  with  a 
penalty  the  most  fearful  in  his  eyes,  the  runagate  servant  of 
Proctor  was  encountered  by  the.  Hritish  detachment  under  the 
command  of  Mad  Archy  Campbell,  lie  was  brought  before 
that  dashing  oilicer,  and  his  examination  may  well  precede  that 
of  Williamson. 

"What!  John,  is  that  you?  Where  the  devil  have  you 
been  '!  Where's  your  master  I" 

"Ah,  sir;  your  honor,  I've  been  in  bad  hands;  I've  been  a 
prisoner  to  the  enemy.  They're  only  seven  miles,  here  away, 
a  matter  of  fifty  horse  or  so,  under  the  command  of  Colonel 
Walton." 

"Beelzebub!  Do  you  say/  Walton;  and  but  liftv  men; 
and  I  have  sixty  !  Push  forward  with  the  advance,  Captain 
Auhl  ;  but  seven  miles!  We  must  have  a  grand  supper  on 
steel  to-night  !" 

"  If  vou'll  move  cautious,  major,  you'll  surprise  'em.  They 
don't  look  for  you  or  any  of  our  people.  They're,  very  loos* 


WA!  \MP. 


A\«'\\l  the  sentinels  ;  that's  how  I  came  to  jrct  away,  Most  of 
their  parties  an-  luisy  looking  for  i'ruit  ahout  the  farms,  the  reg 
ular  p-uh  hcing  pretty  scarce  in  those  quarters." 

"Ajrond  notion!  Better  to  surprise  than  he  surprised,  and 
.in  amhnseade  is  an  inconvenient  thing.  Hold  np  your  men, 
captain,  while  we  discuss  this  matter.  1  §ay,  John,  you  are 
i|iiile  sure  of  what  you  say  I" 

"  Oli  !  yes,  sir,  it'«  as  trie  as  the  Rook." 

"  It  is  Walton's  party,  and  he  has  hut  fifty  men,  and  hifl  sen- 
tries  are  card. 

"  All  true,  sir." 

"  Has  Colonel  Walton  any  prisoners  —  your  master?" 

"  Why,  major,  my  master's  n-,tl,  Colonel  Walton's  party;  hut 
whether  he's  a  prisoner  or  not.  it's  n«.t  for  me  t..  say." 

"  Why,  you  d  -  d  Trojan,  what  do  you  insinuate  /" 

"  Well,  major,  I  don't  insinuate  nothing,  only  J  can't  help  see 
ing    for    myself.      I    followed    my    master    from    Dorchester,   and 
:  :it  me  in  ropes,  ami  let  him  £o  i 

"  Why,  you    hoohy,  did   you    think    that    they  wouM    tie    up  a 
gentleman    like   a    hlackj,ruard  !      '1'hey  could  relv  on   voiir  inas- 
Aonl  of  honor,  fool;    hut  who  could  rely  on  yours/" 

"  JTot,  fir,  I  know  that,  hut  -- 

"  Hut  what  /" 

"1  don't   think    that    M,  been    a    prisoner 

I've  .1  notion  that  when  he  went  into  Colonel  Walton's  camp. 
he  know'd  jtretty  much  where  he  was  p»iiijr.  He\  i 

Cilice.      I   never  lieanl  that   they   watched    him    at    all;    and, 
indeed,  (lie    people    t  >ld    me  that    he    had   -rone  over  to  t!,e 
ran- 

"  Silence,  you   d  -  d    heathen!      That    a    fellow   .slum! 
pect    his   own    master!      Where   do   you    e\p. 
die,  Philistine  ?      Say  i  :  !      Hut  tell  i. 

ral  Williamson  is  still  a  pri.soner  with  Colonel  Wa/ 

IT,    and    they  do    say    that    they    mean    to    hai,. 
There  was  something  said  thi.s  very  inoinin^  of  a  jury  to  he  let 
upon  him." 

"  It  is  not  too  hite  !     "W  nl  iju;<  k! 

tiously.  Captain  Auld.      This   f.-H.-w  \\ill  like 


HIS  K  AT  I  [A  11 II\  K    WALTON. 

him  to  the  front  and  follow  ;.5s  information  ;  but,  if  he  shows 
any  trifling,  cut  him  down  as  you  would  a  cabbage.  !>.»  you 
hear  that,  John?  do  you  understand  it  ?  Very  well;  I  B66  you 
do;  and  you  know  that  there's  no  jest  in  it!  Now,  go  forward, 
lead  us  faithfully,  and,  if  we  succeed  in  surprising  the  rein-Is,  you 
shall  have  five  guineas.  If  you  fail  us;  if  you  show  treachery, 
or  even  lie,  in  this  business,  you  arc  only  so  much  dog's  meat  to 
the  sabre." 

"  Thank  your  honor,"  said  John,  lifting  his  hat,  and  referring 
wholly  to  the  five  guineas.  "  If  they  ain't  moved  from  the 
camp,  you'll  be  sure  to  catch  'em  in  it." 

"  Reasonable  logic  ;  away!"  cried  Mad  Archy,  and  the  party 
disappeared  from  sight  under  the  guidance  of  the  fugitive. 

He  led  them  unerringly.  Unhappily  fur  our  friends,  his  report 
of  the  remissncss  of  Walton's  sentries  was  much  too  true.  Newly- 
raised  militiamen,  not  yet  subdued  by  training,  and  far  from  sys 
tematic  in  their  military  habits,  they  were  quite  too  prone  to  as 
sume  th:>ir  position  to  he  secure,  without  making  it  certainly  so. 
Without  dreaming  of  any  movement  from  the  garrison,  they  did 
not  anticipate  one.  Pinched  by  hunger,  or  lured  by  the  love  of 
fruit,  the  sentinels  had  wandered  oil',  in  most  cases,  from  the 
posts  assigned  them,  and  were  busied  in  deserted  orchaids, 
thrashing  the  peach- trees  for  their  late  and  unripe  harvest. 

While  thus  occupied,  the  Uritish  troopers  stole  within  the  line 
of  sen'rirs.  One  incident  will  serve  to  illustrate  the  fate  of 
these  unfortunate  wretches,  in  their  miserable  neglect  of  dutv. 
On  the  edge  of  an  old  orchard,  which  was  bounded  by  an  open 
tract  of  pine,  forest,  a  young  woman  was  seated  upon  a  fallen 
.  peeling  peaches,  and  chipping  them  up  into  small  pieces, 
evidently  meant  for  a  pot  which  stood  near  her,  in  which  a  few 
quarts  of  water  was  simmering  above  a  slow  lire.  At  the  side 
of  the,  woman,  lay  a  man  upon  the  ground,  his  head  leaning 
upon  the  log.  lie  was  sleeping.  lie  \\as  garbed  in  the  usual 
costume  of  the,  rangers,  with  a  light-blue  hunting  shirt  fringed 
with  cotton,  and  with  falling  <"ipe  similarly  ornamented.  At. 
th««.  end  of  the  fallen  tiee,  leaned  against  some  of  the  upright 
branches,  was  the  riile  which  he  carried.  With  the  exception 
of  a  coutcau  tic  ///c/.v.w ,  stuck  in  his  licit,  he  wore  no  other  weap 


w ALTON'S  CAMI». 

on       Hi.-   c< -oiiskin  cap  had   fallen   from  liis  head  while  l.e  slept, 
and  now  lay  on  tin1  ot!.>  :  tin-  log. 

On   a  sudden,  the  young  woman    raised  her  head  and  seemed 
tc  listen.      She   resumed  her  occupation  alter  a  moment' 
AS  it  satisfied  ;    hut  again,  after  another  brief  interval,  she  p: 
the   attitude   of  a   listener,  and    at    length,  with   BO1  'v  in 

lier  manner,  she  laid  her  hand  on  the  arm  of  the  keeping  man. 

1,  Joel,"  she    cried,   "wake   up:    1  hear   '  ni   he- 

low." 

"  I'Ji  !    ah!"   sighed    the    .-deeper —  slo\\  iy  comprehend! 
—  and  opening  his  eyes  vacantly 

"  1  hear  horses  from  helow,  ,Joel." 

"  A!i  !    some  of  our  scouts  I   '>] 

"  It  sounds  like  a  troop,  ,J«,rl  ;    hetter  get  up." 

"  Oh  !    Sail,  it's  only  ji.st  that  yon  wants  to  be  talking  to  me  ; 
it." 

"  NO  !    1  de«  Ian   !      Don't  yon  hear  them,  Joel  ?" 

"Why,   yes   1    do;    hut    it's   only    a    few  of  the   scouts  got   to 
gether,  and  a  riding  into  the  camp." 

"Then  B  'em,  I   reckon  l.y  the  sound." 

"So   there   is."  cried   the.   fellow,  rising  slowly  to  his  feet,  and 
looking  curiously  almiit  him. 

.liing   to    pen  .  -  thing  unusual  in  the  approach  of 

surh   a    l.ody  of  hoi>e   as   he   now  distinctly  heard,  the 

aneC  was  n«.t  Mif.iciently  hahitual  to  move  him  to  nn  in 
decision    for   his   own    safetv,   <>r   the    performance   of    !.' 
Had  he  then  sei/.ed  his   ritle,  prepared  to  discharge  it  a<  IOOO  as 
thorougldy  certified   of  an    enemy,  and  da>hed    for   the    thi 
a   moment    after,  he  would  have   .saved  himself,  and    advi-ed    the 
camp  of  the   approach  of  danger.      Hut    he   stood    gaxing   at    the 

.    from    which    the    sounds    continued    to    appi«»ach. 
still    leaning    among   the    hiamlie.s    t\ventv    feet    tVom    him    and 
more. 

On    a   sudden,  h«  p.ght  to  the  fullest 

folly  and  his  danger,  as  a  group  •»!  tl.  -lied 

out  of  the  wood,  within  less  than  fifty  yards  distant.     Ti 
let  uniforms  at  once  opened    htf 
U)iind  forwr.nl  to  the     d-ice  \\  h»  .  tiref 


350  KATHARINK  WALTON. 


instinct,  but  it  lay  between  him  and  the  appro-ienin^  enemy 
He  hesitated.  Sally  cried  to  him,  catching  his  arm  as  she  did 
so,  and  pushing  him  toward  the  thicket  — 

"  Run,  Joel.     Take  the  bushes  —  that's  your  only  chance." 

But  the  manly  instinct,  tardy  as  it  was,  interposed  to  prevent 
hid  adoption  of  this  now  judicious  advice.  He  flung  her  off,  and 
rushed  for  the  rifle.  But  his  haste,  and  the  fact  that,  while 
seeking  it  with  his  hand,  his  eye  was  kept  upon  the  enemy, 
caused  a  momentary  embarrassment,  some  of  the  dead  branches 
of  the  tree  catching  the  lock  of  the  weapon.  When,  at  length, 
he  drew  it  out,  one  of  the  three  horsemen  was  upon  him,  and 
within  a  few  paces  only.  The  whole  proceeding  had  occupied 
but  a  few  seconds.  The  rifleman,  in  a  moment,  perceived  that, 
to  prepare  his  weapon,  turn  upon  his  assailant,  take  aim  and  fire, 
would  be  impossible,  where  he  then  stood.  His  object  was  to 
secure  a  little  space  which  would  give  him  momentary  safety. 
To  le.ap  the  massive  shaft  of  the  tree,  and  throw  its  brandies 
between  himself  and  the  horseman,  was  the  obvious  plan  for 
safety  ;  and  he  attempted  it ;  but  too  late.  Even  as  he  leaped, 
the  sabre  of  Mad  Afchy  —  for  he  was  the  foremost  enemy  — 
made  a  swift  bright  circle,  in  the  air,  and,  striking  with  horizon 
tal  edge,  smote  sheer,  slicing  off  completely  the  coronal  region 
of  the  unfortunate  man.  He  fell  across  the  tree,  prone,  without 
a  st  niggle. 

"  Uneasy  lies  the  head  that  wears  a  crown!"  cried  the  reck 
less  trooper  in  a  quotation  from  Shakspere,  shouted   rather  than 
spoken.      He  added,  making  the  sentence  significant  —  "Yours, 
mv  good  fellow,  has  no  such  impediment  to  sleep  hereafter.1' 

The  horrors  of  the  scene,  seemed  only  to  enliven  the  mood 
of  the  desperate  soldier.  His  eye  glared  with  that  rapture 
of  the.  strife,  which  made  the  Hun  so  terrible  in  battle,  and 
which  forms  the.  vital  passion  of  the  Birserker  of  the  northern 
nations.  Mad  Archy  Campbell  belong -d  to  this  order  of  wild 
and  terrible  spirits.  His  sword  was  still  uplifted,  when  the 
young  woman  rushed  toward  the  body  of  her  late,  companion, 
her  arms  extended,  her  face  wild  as  that  of  a  maniac. 

"Out  of  the  way,  woman!"  he  cried  aloud  as  he  beheld  hex 
movement,  and  sought  to  draw  his  steed  aside  from  her  path. 


,V.\1 


•Out  ot   tlu1  wav.  I    srtv  !      A  woman   is  never  in   iiMre.  danger 
:h;in  when  she  would  run  over  a  hor.M'inan." 

She  did  not  heed  him  at  all;   hut,  tottciii:-  fonvai.'    fell  down 
I  \    the  side  ot'  the  murdered  man.      (lapping  spurs  (...  his  1.- 
(  \-iin  phell  went  over  her  at  a  bound,  clearing,  And  \\itl.out  tniu-li- 
inj:,  the  uidiajij>y  creature.      For  a  moment  the  fie.ve  lionemnn 
tliou^ht  it  j»os-.il.l»'  that  his  wild  hlow  had  cut  nsun  ler  s.-me 
and   very    precious,  though   very   humhle  human   I  :    hut 

linhappfly  such  jieiforinaiices  lay  within  the  jmmnce  .•is.vi-ued 
him.  and"  he  had  still  other  and  like  duties  to  jierionii.  He 
h.oked  not  even  hack  upon  the  mixed  jjrouji,  tlie  living  and  the. 
;;  hut,  joined  hy  others  ot  his  squad,  hearing  s^ool.s  al- 
n-a(iy  dripiiing  like  his  own,  l»o  hurried  forward  to  the  -iurpri*d 
of  t^e  rebel  camp. 


852  KATIIAHINK    WALTON. 


CHAPTER   XXXVIII. 

LIFE    OK    DEATH. 

WE  have  seen  Walton  and  liis  officers  assembled  for  the  tria« 
01  examination,  of  tlie  prisoner,  Williamson.  Major  Proctor  was 
j-n-M-iit  at  the.  proceedings,  a  curious  and  somewhat  excited 
spectator.  Walton  presided,  grave,  stern,  commanding,  and  res 
olute  to  do  his  duty,  and  that  only.  Williamson  looked  weary, 
hut  his  carriage  was  not  undignified,  lie  noticed  the  presence 
^f  Proctor  witii  looks  which  seemed  to  betray  dissatisfaction. 
Knowing,  as  we  do,  his  secret,  the  presence  of  the  British  officer 
was  necessarily  a  restraint  upon  him.  II"W  could  he  declare, 
in  his  hearing,  that  he  was  actually  playing  the  part  in  the 
British  garrison,  as  an  emissary  of  Marion  and  (ireeii?  Yet,  to 
establish  this  fact,  to  the,  satisfaction  of  his  present  judge,  was 
the  only  hone  left  to  him  of  safety. 

Kvery  fonn  common  to  such  trials  was  rigidly  adhered  to. 
The  otlicers  of  the,  court  were  sworn.  The  prisoner  was  duly 
arraigned.  The  charges  and  specifications  were  then  stated  by 
a  judge,  advocate,  by  whom  a  list  of  witnesses  was  submitted, 
upon  whose  testimony  he  relied  to  establish  the  truth  of  the 
charges  made.  I'pon  these  charges  he  dilated  in  a  speech, 
which  reviewed  the  whole  career  of  Williamson,  from  the  first 
period  of  his  public  life,  when  he  did  good  service  to  the  state 
against  the  Indians,  passing  to  that  when  he  strove  honorably 
in  the  cause  of  the  patriots  ;  and  showing,  in  contrast  with  these 
honorable,  histories,  his  supposed  unhappy  falling  olT  from  sworn 
faith  and  country.  To  all  this  matter  the  arraigned  person  was 
permitted  to  reply. 

Williamson  was  not  an  orator,  not  a  speaker  at  all,  not  even 


Oil    DKAIH. 

A  tolerably-educated    man.     He  was   absolutely  illiterate ;  l.ui 

by  no  means  wanting  in  intelligence.  He  had  mother-wit  ami 
shrewdi:es>  in  considerable  share  ;  W8&  M-n.sihle  and  thoughtful  , 
haii  lived  too  IMIIJ:  liv  his  own  efforts,  and  among  intelligent  and 

men,  not  to  have  acquired  a  considerabli 
of  readiness,  and,  indeed,  a  certain   share  | 

reply  to  the  charges  made  against  liiin,  and  which,  we  need  imt 

\\ere    proved    oy  several    credilile  witnesses.      II.    i.\! 
the  history  which  had  been  just  -riven  of  his  career.      lit-  d: 
complain    of  any  injustice,  until    the    period    was   reached  which 
rihed    him  as  deserting   IVom   the   cause  of  his  eonntrv,  and 
taking  ddes  with    her    enemies.      To    this    point    he  answered  in 

such  laii(urua^e  as  the  lolioxvini;  : — 
14  This   alleged    desertion   from   t 

in   my  having   taken  a  HritMi    ]n«'tection,  even  a>  you,  sir, 

have  t.tlien  a  Hritish  protection " 

This    wa-  ''.l-nirl     Walton.       His    hmw    wai 

wannly  fltished,  as  he  rejdied  — 

"  When    I    took  a  Hriti>h    jirotection,  >ir,  I   was   under  d 
a  prisoner,  in  fact,  and  in  a  situation  well  known  to  the  con:  • 
and  the  protection  which  I  took,  under  protect  all  the  while, 
nr^-'-d  upon   i-  -olntely  nna\ 

situation,  and  absolutely  IK  my  family  no 

than    my  own.      Hut    /  am    not   undi  BT!  —  \\heii    it 

becomes  nei'essai-y  for  me  to  ansucr  (»  mv  countrv,  1  tru^t  that 
1  shall  not  find  it  ditlicult  to  meet   all    the  charges  ma<:- 
me." 

"  I'ardon   me,  sir,"  replied  Williamson,  modc.stlv.      "  I:. 
riu^  to  the  protection   taken   hy  yourself,  I    nu-ant   only  tn  imli 

the  true  character  of  that  compromise  which  the  necc>- 
of  tiie  time  forced    M.    many  nf  us  to  make.      1'ntil   I'.1;: 
1  appeal  to  all  the.  world  to  say,  if  I  did  not  holm: 
truly  maintain    my  allegiance   to   the   revnlu;!  Imt 

in  the  defeat    of   iJiitWd  went    down   all   Organized  u  in 

the  >t.ite.      It   Wai    lappowd,  on   all  hands,  that    t!.  :   wai 

at  an  i-n-i.  M  fai  U  >  -uth  Carol 

The  regular  tn»»p*  of   hi.th  :   and  mostly  in  captiv 

ity.      In  the  fall   of  C'harle  -able 


KA  THAI;  i.\.-:   WALTON. 

troops  were  taken  from  the  field.  The  defeat  of  Bufonl  dis 
posed,  in  like  manner,  of  all  our  Virginia  allies.  The  contin  MI- 
tal  army  was  a  skeleton,  and  continental  money  liad  ctxised  to 
be  a  tender.  "Without  means,  or  men,  or  money,  1  called  my 
officers  together.  My  command  of  rangers  was  almost  the  only 
one  in  the  state  which  had  not  been  dispersed  ;  and,  after  delib 
c.rate  consultation,  it  was  agreed  that  the  contest  was  hope! 
1  declared  my  determination  to  abide  by  their  decision,  and  the 
,t  of  our  deliberations  \vas  that  we  should  abandon  the  field 
and  disperse." 

"  Hut  not  surrender  to  the  enemy" — said  the  judge  advocate 
— "  not  join  his  forces,  not  give  him  aid  and  comfort." 

"1  did  neither,"  was  the  somewhat  hesitating  reply  of  Wil 
liamson. 

44  It  is  unfortunate  for  you,"  said  the  advocate,  "  that  your 
correspondence  with  Richard  lYaris,  Robert  Fletchall,  and  oth 
ers,  is  on  record,  and  in  our  hands." 

"  All  these  letters  can  be  explained,  and  shown  as  innocent, 
ll-.'r-ides,  when  they  were  written,  I  can  show  that  I  too  wa* 
under  <////-r.v.vr." 

"  Yes  :  but  it  was  of  your  own  seeking.  You  had  voluntarily 
thrown  yourself  into  the  city  of  Charleston." 

"What  was  to  be  done?  Of  all  the  acknowledged  leaders 
of  the  state,  not  one  was  to  be  found.  Some  were  in  captivity  ; 
others  had  lied.  General  Moultrie  was  a  prisonor-of-war ;  so 

was  General  GacUden,  it  was  not  known  what  had  become  of 

Colonel  Marion  ;  ;•  i  General  Sumter  and  Governor  Rutledge 
had  both  tied  t; 

44  Fled  only  to  North  Carolina,  and  thither  only  to  find 
recruits  in  order  to  renew  the  struggle,"  answered  the  judge 
advocate. 

44  I  grant,  sir,"  continued  Williamson,  "  that  I  might  have 
done  the  same  :  I  confess  my  regret  that  I  did  not.  1  now  see, 
by  what  Marion  and  Sumter  have  done,  what  might  have  been 
done  by  many  others  ;  but  I  must  plead  ignorance  of  our  re 
sources,  or  my  own  resources;  and  not  wilfuiness  or  a  treacher 
ous  purpose,  when,  forbearing  to  follow  the  example,  which  a* 
yet  had  not  been  shown,  I  yielded  up  a  seemingly  bopeleHB 


I.I  I!  \TH.  355 

1  follow  frcqnciit  example,  in  taking 

Uritish  protection,  ;i>  entirely  any  other." 

"The   eha:_  •    simply  that   you  '    vmir  c 

;,  ami  suhmitted  to  the  enemy  ;   it  is  that  you  joined  tl 
and  took  diiM    your  friends.      I    herewith    suhmit  to  the 

DC  intercepted  letters  to  certain  notorious  royal: 

hack    country,  and    y..i;r    letters   to   certain    jiatriuts  of  the 

g    uj)on    them    tlic  the 

1'n-it:  .      If  y«"i  deny  your  agency  in  t) 

prepared  to  prove  your  signature." 

"  I  aiii  very  far  from   denying  the-"   letNM's.      I  freeh 
them  ;   hut  look    at    the  dates  when    the} 

\vill  ili>i-over  that  ••  written  at  the  moment  when  1  my 

••Mik  the  protection  of  the  Hritivh,  and  end  odied  simj-ly  th« 
which    I    was    influenced  ;    .Allowing,  indeed,  the 
exigency  \\hich,  as  I  Mi})po>e,l.  prevailed    throughout    the 
N-.ii.  Jy  then  hi-licved,   jr  ap})eared  :  ,  that  \\  e  had  any 

thing  to  li.ipe  for.      C«u;^:e.->,  it   was  understood,  M-arcely  aide  t( 
maintain  its  ground   in   the    north,  was  prepared  to  ahandon  tin 

ii    to    its   fate.      That    Marion,  Sumter,  and   ut 
should   Mil'.^e(|uently  take    the    field,  and  with    so   much  MI< 

\\a>  nowhere  anticipated ;  and  that  they  have  done  ao,  affordi 

i...  -ion  (juitr  as  that  which  any  el." 

A  smile  of  derision  lightened  up  the  faces  of  M-ver.d  m. 
of  the  v  dint  at  this  a.^seition.     \Valto: 

a  ^i.ive  >nn-uw  of  countenance.      '1'lie  jud^e   advocate    indulged 
in  .i  kntt  .;  ai:«l  C'aj.tain  M 'Kidvey,  striking  impatiently 

upon  tlie  talde.  exclaim. 

in    my  "<>\\\  \ve   ha\e    to,,    much    talking    hy  half.      What 

.  of  it  I      The,    prisoner    confesses    the   charges   against    him. 
lit-    admits    the    h-t!er>.  ami    tli.-y    j 

lid    trv  to    exjdain    tln-i:  >   ah-unl.      11:-   crin.r  . 

knowledped.      I  don't    sei-  why  we   should    not  proceed  to  j 
ineilt.       I  one.  that   he  i>  a  pTOTefl    traitor,  tad 

the  death  of  one  ;   and  I    move  you,   '  lent,  that 

the  vote  on  the  ipiest'ion." 

"  Av.  av  !    the  vote  :    -Milty  or  n  -  tin-  echo  from 

several  other  voices.      Williamson  hecame  fearfully  a^tated. 


356  KATUAU1XK    WALTON. 

"Is  this  a  trial.  Mr.  President  /" 
4  Be  patient,  sir,"  answered  Walton. 

"It  is  a  more  formal  and  regular  trial,  by  far,  than  Rawd  m 
and  BaJfour  accord  to  the  whigs,  our  brethren,"  >\  as  the  angrj 
reply  of  the  judge  advocate. 

"  Ay,  indeed, 'Uawdon's  mercy,'  and  'Tarletou's  Quarters, 
are  rare  sorts  of  trials!"  cried  M'Kidvey. 

The  feeling  was  rising.  The  court  was  becoming  momenta 
rily  more  and  more  irritable  and  boisterous.  "  Death  to  tho 
traitor!"  was  audibly  announced. 

"Mr.  President,"  said  Williamson,  "it  is  surely  clear  to  you 
that  1  can  not  have  justice  at  this  board,  with  such  a  temper 
prevailing  amo'.ig  its  members." 

"Silence  the  traitor !"  muttered  several  voices;  "we  Lave 
heard  unite,  enough  !" 

"The  vote,  Mr.  President,"  cried  M'Kelvey. 

"1  do  not  see  why  the  •  pi-.'siiou  should  not  be  taken,  Mr. 
President,"  pursued  the  judge  advocate.  "Every  Mibsianiial 
fact  is  admitted  by  the  defendant,  lie  is  guilty,  by  his  own 
confession,  of  going  over  to  the  enemy  —  of  corresponding  \\ith 
the  blood-thirsty  tories  who  have  been  rioting  in  'In-  spoils  of 
our  people  upon  the  borders;  —  he  admits  that  I.,-  nas  writien 
these  letters  to  our  friends,  seeking  to  seduce  them  from  their 
allegiance  ;  asserting  the  inevitable  ascendency  and  succe>s  of 
the  British.  He  lives  within  a  lJritir.li  garrison,  and  is,  118  W6 
can  also  show,  the  trusted  counsellor  of  Balfotll  and  Kawdon. 
Is  anything  more  necessary  for  his  conviction  /" 

The,  excitement  increased  with  this  speech.  Williamson 
;ly  and  urgently  entreated  to  be  heard;  renewed  his  argu 
ments  and  explanations;  and  was  with  ditliculiy  secured  a  he.n 
ing.  It  was  evident  that  a  vote  taken  in  regard  to  his  guilt, 
and  decreeing  summary  and  extreme  punishment,  \\onld  he 
almost,  if  not  <jnite,  unanimous;  and  the,  defence  of  the  prisoner, 
as  made  by  himself,  was  now  of  a  sort  rather  to  provoke  than 
conciliate  hostility.  His  agitation,  and  the  exhibition  of  some 
temper,  were  at  variance  with  all  prudence  and  good  policy. 
could  no  longer  restrain  himself.  He  D  N  from  his  seat, 


i. in-:  OB  m-:.\Tii.  ;{;'>", 

t«>  that  ..f  tin-  pn  -:<:ent,  and   placed  hefore   him  a  paper 
•m  '.viiich  lie  had  pencilled  (\u^>  w.rds — 

ike,  for  your  own   sake,  CoL-m-l  Walton,  do  not 
Kiifler  the.-e  liicii  t  They  are  retoluto  to  have 

thir.   man's    Mood,  and    the    circumstances   of  the   c 'ise,  and    the 
ition  of  the  country,  neither   call   for,  nor  will   sanction   iti 
Tin.:.      Let  me  entreat  you,  as  a  man  of  honor  and  a  Chris 
tian,  to  intcrp 

Walton  wrote  at  the  ln»ttom  of  the  paper — 

the  ri^'ht  moment,  1  will,      Fear  nothing.      I  will  adjourn 
the  c'  urt  anil  refer  the   CftM   t..  (iencral  (ireene,  and  a  hoard  of 

rior  utliti 

Tl.i-  .  :iad  not  taken  {dace  without  causing  a  new  emo 

tion  in  the  as>emhly.  There  were  audiMe  murmurs  ah<»nt  the 
coint  in  regard  t..  the  impertinence  of  one  prisoner  taking  j.art 
for  another.  These  murmurs  were  silenced  liy  the  judge  advo 
cate,  who.  in  a  \\hisper  to  the  nio.st  turhulent  said  — 

•me    u\rr   to   us.      He    has   no  more 
love  lor  the  traitor  th;.n  we.      l^e  still  !" 

^\hetller   be  OZpreSlod  his  own    conjecture,  or   repeated    only 
what    he    had    heard,  can  not  he  said;    hut  Williamson  ,,j.p 

.  the  interposition  ni'  Troctor  with  a  m!n«l  suspicious  that 

it  augured  him  no  ^ 1.      With   a   somewhat  violent  manner,  lie 

imed  — 

"This  is  Unwarrantable,  Mr.  President.      I  protest  against  any 

inter1  :  the  part  of  a  Hritish   otlicer   and   an 

y.      This  court  i>  not  in  the  temper  for  the  just  trial  of  my 

It  is  full  of  my  eneii 

"  1  •  ral  Williamson  appeal    from  this  court  f      His  ap 

peal  will  lie  to  (  '  '  ' 

The  ^d  l<y  the  aci 

"  1  do  appeal,"  he  cried  ;    "  i-ut   in    the    meantime,  I  have  that 

v  to  the  pre-ident,  if  allowed  to  speak  with  him   in   pri\ 
which,  1  think,  will  satisfy  him  of  my  innocence,  and,  that  I  oii^ht 
to  gn  !:,•,•  from  trial  air 

"  Ha  !   ha  !   ha  !      \'.  :y  -<">d  •••  was  the  response  of  M'Kelvey. 
\N  ..   kOO  LrraN'el\    >j.»ke  :  — 

'•  Genthinen,  with   your   permi^ion.  I   will   nccord    t«)(M-neral 


358  KATHARINE    WALTON. 

Williamson  the  private  interview  he  seeks.  This  can  do  no 
harm  ;  particularly,  since  his  appeal  will  render  delay  inevitable." 

"  If  allowed,"  cried  the  judge  advocate;  "but  I  see  not  why 
it  should  he  allowed." 

"  It  must  he,  if  urged,"  answered  Walton  ;  "  our  jurisdieti  ,n 
in  not  final." 

"It  ought  to  b'c,"  muttered  the  judge  advocate;  and  audible 
inurniiirs  around  the  hoard  showed  how  intractable  were  tl-f 
wild  spirits  whom  the  president  was  required  to  control.  Wal 
ton  did  not  seem  to  heed  these  murmurs,  hut,  rising  from  his  seat, 
said  to  Williamson  — 

"  Now,  sir,  if  you  have  anything  to  communicate,  we  will 
retire  to  the  adjoining  chamber.  1  would  not  do  you  injustice, 
General  Williamson;  nay,  would  save  your  life  if  this  be  pos 
sible." 

"I  will  show  you  good  reason  why  you  should,"  answere  1 
Williamson,  eagerly,  as  the  two  left  the  room  together.  A  noisy 
discussion  among  the  heated  bloods  of  the  court,  followed  the 
departure  of  the  president  and  the  prisoner.  It  was  now  very 
evident,  to  Proctor,  that,  but  for  Walton,  Williamson  would, 
long  ere  this,  have  expiated  his  offences,  real  or  supposed,  on 
the  nearest  tree.  His  reflections  assured  him  that,  according  to 
the  mode  of  judgment  in  these  times,  such  a  summary  execution 
would  have  been  perfectly  justified  by  the  circumstances,  assu 
ming  them  to  be  true.  ( )f  course,  he  knew  nothing  of  the  secret 
relations  between  Williamson  and  Co'-mcl  Singleton. 

While  the.  officers  around  him  continued  in  noisy  discussion  of 
the  matter,  our  Knglishmun  rose  and  went  to  the  window.  lie 
gazed  out  upon  a  once  lovely  lawn,  nov  in  ruins.  The  shade 
trees,  in  front  of  the  house,  had  shed  numerous  brandies,  which 
were  unreinoved,  ami  the  undergrowth  was  gro.ss  and  matted  ; 
all  was  significant  of  the  wild  and  vexed  condition  under  which 
the  land  was  groaning.  Broken  and  decaying  fences,  right  and 
left,  and  the  slender  skeleton  stalks  of  the  cornfields  of  previous 
years,  looked  equally  mournful  ;  while  the  silence,  that  spread 
everywhere  without,  was  singularly  expressive  of  the  real  dcs»>- 
lation  of  the  country. 

While    Proctor    gazed    and    milS^d,  the    silence  was   suddenly 


l.IIi  \TH. 

i  .and  no 

attention   ainoni:  the  a— emhly  \\ithiii.     I'roc'or  thought   th< 
worthy  of  remark,  as  it    would   ha\"  lieeii   in  any  \v«-!i 

campment  :  imt  :  d  upon  the  loose  habite,  and  fn«|u«-nt  dis- 

iiiiiili.i,  and  In-  concluded  this  to   !•(•  nothii 
than  one  of  their  ordinary  violations  of  discipline. 

l)eyond  tin- 

fu-ed!y    from    OD  in   the 

after,    lie    deni'd    tin-    lla-hini: 

;  let    linifi.rm^  amoi'LT  Ih.  This 

unfolded    to    him    the    true    I;! 

;.iid     liiin.    a!id    i'.-r    Walton  ;    all    of    them    \\lmlly    un- 
coiiM-ious   of    the    apparent    daiiirer.      NVilh     B  It     impuNe, 

he   turned    to  the    company,    .-till    c  I 

WflUamson. 

•  •  Dot,  you] 

if  not  actually  surprised.      I   have  h 

M^ht  ^limpNcs  (,f  the  liritixli  unif.  ;  in  that 

uocd  upon  the  souil:' 

The  whole  party  ru-hi-d    \'<   tin-  \\  ind"'.1. .      !'•  -   this  time,  otln 

PC  heard.      S.  >.  n,  olliri'-  of    the  riMeim  D,  and  in 

evident  tliirht.  \\i-ic  ^>t-\\  to  hurry  fof  th- 

•ntield.  and.  at  lcni:th,  a  .irroiip   of   d  h   nni- 

fonn   of  tin-    r.iiii-li 
douhlfid. 

They  \\ill    IK- 
•:ion-  tlian 

.    '•  that  the 
i  .  men. 

and  let  i: 

••  \.  iWi 

"  hut  to  H\ 

him   a  !  ujM.n   him   witli 

l>ut.  \\  ii !; 

ton  and  William  -  ith  the  hiJt 

•i  the  door,  whieh  he  v.iinly  attempti-d  t«>  open,  «  iv- 
• 'Ut  the  \\  1. 


3GO  KATHAUINK    \YALTON. 

1  The  enemy  are  upon  us,  colonel  ;  you  have  not  a  momer1 
to  lose." 

The  door  waj  instantly  thi.>wn  open,  and  Walton  came  forth 
eagerly,  followed  by  Williamson. 

"  The  enemy  !   where  ?     And  no  alarm  ?" 

"  None !     The  sentries  have  been  asleep,  d n  'em,  and 

our  men  are  probably  all  dispersed." 

"  We  must  see  to  that,"  cried  Walton,  preparing  to  go  forth. 

"  It  is  too  late,  Colonel  Walton,  to  look  after  your  men,"  said 
Proctor,  approaching.  "  Fly,  while  time  is  allowed  you.  The 
dragoons  are,  even  now,  speeding  across  the  cornfield,  directly 
for  the  house." 

"Too  true!"  cried  M'Kelvey,  who  had  been  looking;  "we 
must  take  the  back  track,  colonel,  for  the  swamp.  Fortunately 
our  horses  are  just  behind  the  house," 

Walton  looked  out,  and  saw  a  squad  of  Campbell's  dragoons, 
headed  by  that  impetuous  captain,  in  full  speed  for  the  dwell 
ing,  and  scarcely  three  hundred  yards  distant.  "»////•<•  (^i 
peutf  was  the  counsel  of  every  instinct.  The  back  door  of 
the  house  was  already  open,  and  the  party  rapidly  descended 
from  the  piazza  to  the  horses.  Looking  back,  just  as  he  \sas 
mounting,  M'Kelvey  saw  Williamson  at  the  entrance,  watching 
every  movement  with  great  appearance  of  anxiety. 

"  Shall  the  d d  traitor  escape  after  all  ?"  he  cried,  fiercely. 

"Not,  by  Ileavens,  while  1  have  a  bullet!" 

lie  drew  a  pistol  from  his  holster  at  the  word,  but  Walton 
caught  his  arm. 

"Stay!"  said  lie;  "you  know  not  what  you  do!  I,ef  the 
man  alone.  He  better  serves  us  in  the  Hritish  garrison  than  lie 
did  when  he  was  ours.  Spurs,  gentlemen,  and  scatter  for  tiie 
swamp  !" 

Walton  saw  his  officers  off  at  different  points,  making  for  the 
niefields  beyond  which  lay  the.  thickets,  which,  once  reached, 
would  afford  the  most  ample,  refuge.  With  a  courteous  wave 
of  the  hand  to  the,  balcony,  when-  Proctor  and  Williamson 
stood,  he  gave  spurs  t«>  his  own  splendid  charger,  a  black,  uhich 
had  never  before  failed  him.  M'Kchey  kept  beside,  him,  a 
fierce  but  devoted  follower;  and  tbey  were  rapidly  approaching 


LIKI:  on  ni:.\Tn. 

the   rear   fence    which  \    the   Imu^o   enclosure    fr  in   tho 

abandoned    ri.  -.\  hen    tin-    British    dragoons,   ('amp/>ell    at 

tlu'-ir  head,  hurst  into  the  yanl  They  never  noticed  I'roctor  or 
Williamson;  hut,  with  tho  fugitives  lull  in  view,  dash  >d  pell- 
ini'll  upon  their  tracks.  Meanwhile,  Walton,  a.-  M'Kelvrv  and 
olf  approached  the,  fence,  gave  \vav  to  the  latter,  crving — 

"Go    Ahead,  Captain,  and    take    the    leap;    the   cau-eway  will 
hut  one  hoiM-man  at  a  time." 

This  irafl  a  -fiiei-oiis  sugge.-tion,  for   the    '  Q  wa.s 

in    the    lead.      It  was   an    unwise  decision  made  at  that  moment, 
since,  to    t-naMe    M'Kelvey    to    p>    ahead,  it  ^•.  that 

:.»n    should    curh    the    impulse    alreaily   ^i\'en    to    his    1, 
M1  Kidvey,  to  do  him  ji:  '.led  audibly  at  the  idle  con; : 

hut  felt  that  it  was  imt  a  moment  to  <lispute   the   j»rivih-^c.      He 
drove  the  n>\\  »d  into  his  lighter-made  ^tee<l,  and  the  animal  \ 
cl-ear.      \Valtoj>  v\  lunate.      'I'he  track  ^reu  slipjie: 

he    dtsrended    tlie    hank.      !!»•  felt  the  1  ea>t   lahi-r  >l;-l.tly,  and, 
in  fact,  triji,  ju>t  hefoiv  the  feme  was  reaeiied.  \iii£  him 

spur  and   rein    at    the    right    moment,  he.  too,  went  over,  hut  fell 
pron.'  tO  the  earth,  as  K-aj.in-  heyoinl  the   .  .M'KeK.;, 

Stnmhled    ujion    a   hreak    in   the   rice-dam.      Walton  was  thrown 
Completely  over  his  head,  and  lay  stunned  for  a  mo; 

In  that  moment   the    British    ti  »ed.      M'Kelvey,  1>O 

holding    the    danger   of   his  superior,  wheeled  ahuit.  and  da>hed 
hack,  sahn'  uplifted  ;    and,  with  all  ti  I    knight 

••ri-int.  '-'i>lr-d  headhn:^  .  -it  d..wji 

in    the    conflict  with    two    of  the    dr;!_  !.  when  Walton's 

eyeu    opened    upon    the    scene,  the    la>t    .struggles    of   his    I  : 
lieutenant  were  at  an  end. 

lie   opened    his  eye>   only  to    find    himself  a    pri>onor.      Mad 
Archv.    with    |  ;  :     him.    elVectnallv 

prindudi! ,_  .ought  of  conflict.      Stunned  and  hni 

•orn 
I  to  tlie  dwi'll'.:  !iy  was  eiiahlc-d   to   reali/6 

\feut  of  !  e  found  luith   \'- 

ion  ami  Troctor.      ".  ;'    1-y  n«' 

ft-ith  Camp:  i-'il.  he  COUgratnlated  upon  his  e-«-aj  e  —having  1 

ibeadjr  taught  how  imminent  li;-.d  h-eu  hi- 


862  KATHARINE    WALTON. 

very  properly  omitted  all  reference  to  the  inteview  which  he 
had  had  with  Walton,  in  which,  by  the  way,  he  had  shown  to 
the  latter  what  nll-sulhYient  reasons  the.re  wore,  why,  if  to  he 
hung  by  anybody,  he  should  suffer  that  fate  by  the  hands  rather 
of  the  Briti.sh  than  the  American. 

To  Proctor,  the  manner  of  Archy  Campbell  was  marked  by 
great  gravity  and  coldness. 

"Your  servant  is  ho.ro,  Major  Proctor.  To  him  we  are  in 
debted  for  guidance  to  the  rebel  camp.  Perhaps  you  will  do 
well  to  sot  him  rijrht  as  to  the  true  circumstances  in  which  he 
left  you  here.  I  have  only  to  say  to  you,  that  his  report  BDOW8 
him  to  entertain  very  equivocal  notions  of  your  present  relations 
with  the  enemv." 

'  My  servant  is  a  scoundrel.  Major  Campbell,"  was  the  stern 
response  of  Proctor. 

"I  think  it  very  likely,"  was  the  indifferent  answer;  ••  and 
shall  l,eg  you  to  take  charge  yourself  of  his  correction  and 
reform.  I  kive  but  to  pay  him  five  guineas,  and  we  are  .juith." 


S  i    MATERIAL   mi;   \\  r, 


CHAPTER   XXXIX. 
WIDOWS  Tin:   BEST   MATKIMAI.   mi:   w< 

IT  was  noon  of  the  day  which  has  thus  been  di-tinirui-hed  by  the 
"f  \Villiam-oii  ami  the  capture  of  Colonel  Walton,  when  two 
•.'•n  iniirht   have  hem   seen  slowly  ridini:   in  :i  ^>uthcr!\ 
lion,  on  the  route  hctween  ti,  md   ihe  Combaheti  rivers. 

They  were  l.oth  well  mounted  ami   armed;   the   one   -uh«>  -.  «  n:ed  the 

-word  by  -ide.  and  pistols   in   1. 

in  addition   to    pistol^.  ha\  inir  a    neat.  wel!-jK)li-h«'d.  and  short  ritle, 
lyiiiLT  across  the   pnniincl    of  hi-    -addle.      In    the   porth 
fn-xh.  tlorid  feature-  of  the  forim-r.  we   rOOOgDJ 

B'l    coininand:     in    the    latter    the    yOUD 

Pnuttpton. 

If    the    reader    has    not    forgotten    sonu-   former   pa>saLrf»  in   this 
true  history,  he    will    find    it    ea-y    t«>   account    for   the    . 
these    t  .m.-es    in    this    neighborhood,  at    li.  |    junc- 

'•bably    not    IK  t  n    foi-otten.    that.    >o..n    after  the 
which    MnL'leton    had    tfi\eii     to     Lieiit'-nai.' 
Mure  of  that    ollicer    and    of    his    OOOTOJ,   the    1 

1     l-'ramptoii.   ; 
_ron.    with 

As  this  camp  \va>    kno\\n    to    !  -  aa   wo«   usually   t'. 

anionir  'he   ;  -  the    duty    thus    a 

them    implied    delay,    difficulty,   a    tedious    search,    and    th- 
cise   of  nit   caution.     I.ieutenaiit  Porgy  was  ir 

take    hi-    wa-   n    with    as    much    di-patch   as   was 

.  .    to    the    rover    of    the    -wamjts   of    tli- 

side    of   that    river;    to    leave    it    then-    i::  ;ent.  with 

lion    of   his    detachment,    and     then    him>elf,    with    Fnunptou,    to 


864  KATHARIM:  WALTON. 

proceed  in  search  of  the  squadron  of  Walton.  There  was  yet 
another  duty,  if  we  recollect,  which  was  assigned,  at  the  same 
lime,  to  this  officer  anil  his  young  companion.  This  was  to 
seek  out  the  widow  of  Walter  Griffin,  one  of  the  soldiers  of 

Jeton,  who  had  fallen  in  the  engagement  with  the  troop  of 
Mi  adows  and  to  convey  to  her  and  her  daughter  the  tidings  of 
his  death  and  burial,  together  with  his  effects,  and  a  certain 
amount  in  English  guineas,  which  Singleton  was  foitunate 
enough  to  gather  from  the  treasure-chest  of  Meadows,  and 
which  he  promptly  shared  among  his  followers. 

This  latter  duty  was  properly  confided  in  part  to  Frampton. 
lie  might  now  be  considered  almost  a  member  of  Griffin's  fami 
ly  ;  the  tender  interest  which  he  felt  in  Ellen,  the  fair  daughter 
of  the  latter,  having  received  from  Griffin,  while  he  lived,  every 
sanction,  and  being  generally  supposed  equally  agreeable  to  the 
young  damsel  herself.  The  melancholy  part  of  his  task,  there 
fore,  was  not  without  its  compensative  considerations,  and  no 
one.  could  better  express  the,  language  of  sympathy  and  regret 
than  one  who  was  thus  necessarily  a  sharer  in  the  misfortune. 
Nor,  according  to  his  own  notions,  was  Lieutenant  Porgy  him- 
self  improperly  assigned  a  portion  of  this  duty.  This  excellent 
epicure  had  his  own  secret.  He  had  a  selfish  reason  for  his 
readiness  to  undertake  a  search  like  the  present,  which,  but  for 
this  reason,  would  have  brought  him  annoyance  only.  But  w« 
i;m>t  leave  it  t«»  himself  and  the  sagacity  of  the  reader  to  u* 
fold  this  secret  motive  as  we  proceed. 

\Ye  need  not  very  closely  follow  the  footsteps  of  Porgy  ana 
his  party,  from  the  moment  when  they  left  Ravenel's  plantation 
on  the.  Santee,  and  proceeded  to  the  Edi>to.  Porgy  was  a  man 
nearly  as  full  of  prudence  as  plethora.  lie  was  luxurious,  but 
he  was  vigilant  ;  fond  of  good  things,  but  neglectful  of  no  duty 
in  seeking  them.  He  succeeded  in  conveving  his  ba^gaLre-vvag- 
on  in  safety  to  the  spot  destined  for  its  hiding-place,  in  the 
swamp-thickets  of  the  Edist-i.  Here  he  le.il  it  in  charge  of 
Lieutenant  Davis,  a  shrewd  and  practised  ranger.  This  done., 
he  set  out,  as  we  have  seen,  with  Ensign  Frampton,  with  the 
twofold  object  of  findii-;:  Colonel  Walton  and  the  widow  (Jriffin. 

Of  the  former,  the  part/  had   been   able  to  hear  nothing  by 


WIDOWS    THK    III  -T    MATKRIU.    FOR    WIVES. 

which  to  guide  their  progress.      He  w*6  supposed  to  he  ranging 
somewhere    between  (he    Salkelmtchie  and   tlic    S.i\annnh.      In 
the  route   now    pursued,    they    had    the    widow  Griffin    in    \ 
rather  than    the   partisan.     Frampton    knew   win  welt, 

And  it  was  liDped  that,  on  reaching  her  abode,  some  intelligence 
might  he  ohtained    from  her  of  "Walton.      The  two   had    ac< 
irijly  taken  a  bee   line  from  the  swamps  of  Kdi.-to  for  the  hum 
ble  farmstead  of  the  widow,  and  at  noon  of  the  day  in  que 
might  probably  be  s<»me  ten    miles  from    it.      But   they  bad    rid 
den  fast  and  far  that  morning,  and  when,  after 
let,   or    />runr//,    which    gushed,   bright    and    limpid,    across   the 
high    road,  Frampton    exclaimed  — "  It's  only    nine  miles  and    a 
skip  ;     we    could     mal--    it    easy    in    two   hours,   lieutenant  ;'  — 
the    other    answered    with    a    growl    that     singularly    resembled 
an    imprecation.       "  Only  nine   mile  pti:n.  ur 

gently. 

"  And  if  it  were  only  three,  master  Lance,  I   would  not 

farther   until    I    had    seen    our    wallet    emptied. 
young  n  i    must  learn  a    letter    le>s«.n.       Xe\  er  d» 

hurry,  even  if  it  be  on  the    road  to  hapj.i:;<  — .      N-.  man    enjoy? 
life  who  gallops   through  it.      Take    it    slowly  ;     stop    frequently 
by  the  way,  and    look    about    you.      He    who   g"p-    ahead    . 
pH--e>    I    treasure    on  both  'eh    he    never    finds   (••>' 

back.      By  pau>ing.  resting,   looking  about  you,  and  medit.v 
you  secure  the    ground  vou    have  gained,  and    acquire 

mjuer  more.      Many  a    man,  through  sheer    impatience,  has 
<jwain  for    the  shore,  and  sunk  just  when  it  r 
the  f.o]  turned  on    his  back  and    floated  for  an    hour,  the    v. 
jourpey  would  have  be. 

L.ince,  we'll  turn  upon  our  backs  for  an  hour.  1 
tite  just  now.  If  I  fail  to  satisfy  it.  1  lose  it  till  ; 
the  !">•  is  irn-tii'-val  s'.me  jerked  beef  in  your 

wallet,  I  think,  and  a  few  biscuit.      We  will  turn  up  thi>  1  sanch. 
the  water  of  which    is  cool    an<l  clear,  put    mi:  lose. 

quiet  place  in  the  woods,  and  pacifv  the  (1 

The   young   e:  impatient,   and    not    hungry,   was 

compelled    to   subdue    his   <!eniie   to    hurry    forwAl 
that  arg'iiment,  at  tliis  hour,  and  under  fhese  circu:  with 


KATIIAIIINT.    W  M.TOX. 

his  superior,  was  vain.  TTo  submitted  accordingly  without  fur 
thor  expostulation,  and  with  a  proper  grace  ;  ;in;l,  riding  ahead, 
ascended  a  little  elevation,  which  led  him,  still  following  tho 
winding  of  the  creek,  to  a  cool,  shady,  and  retired  spot  some  two 
hundred  yards  from  the  roadside,  lie  was  cl»s<dy  followed  by 
his  more  bulky  companion  ;  and,  dismounting,  stripping  their 
horses,  and  Buffering  them  to  graxe,  they  prepared  to  enjoy  the 
,1  provision  which  was  afforded  by  the  leathern  wallet  which 
the  yoiin^  man  carried.  This  was  soon  spread  «»ut  u}>on  the 
turf;  and,  letting  himself  down  with  the  deliberation  of  a  buf 
falo  about  to  retire  for  the  night,  Lieutenant  1'orgv  prepared  for 
the,  discussion  of  his  dinner. 

It  was  scarcely  such  as  would  satisfy  either  the  tastes  or  ap 
petites  «>f  epicurism.  Vorgy  growled  as  he  ate.  The  beef  was 
hard  and  black,  sun-dr'ed  and  sapless.  The  biscuits  were  <>i 
c()ni-nieal,  coarse,  stale,  and  not  palatable  even  to  the  hungry 
man.  But  the  tiger  was  earnest,  and  the  food  rapidly  disap 
peared.  I-'iampton  ate,  but  little.  His  heart  WM  t'«.  full  of  ex 
cited  hopes  to  sutler  his  appetite  to  prevail.  It  would  be  doing 
injustice  to  1'orgy  to  suppose  that  hi-  was  glad  to  behold  this 
abstinence.  Though  fully  equal,  himself,  to  the  consumption  of 
the  slender  provision  before  them,  he,  was  sincerely  urLrent  that 
the  youth  should  feed. 

"\\liy  don't  you  fall  to,  bov  !  Ho  \«\\  supple  there's  not 
enough  fin-  both  i'  Kat.  I  >ay  !  You've  done  nothing  worth  the, 
name  of  eating  since  last  night.  Kat  !  1  know  I'm  a  !•• 
seeking  what  I  may  devour,  but  Understand,  that  1  regard  yon 
:  mv  cubs,  and  will  see  you  feed,  even  before  I  do  mv- 
self.  Take  that  other  biscuit,  and  there's  the  beef.  Cut,  slash 
—  it  will  need  a  sharp  knife,  and  sharper  teeth  t<>  get  ;'t  the 
merits  of  that  hull's  quarter." 

I'Yampton  complied,  or  seemed  to  comply  with  the  cc./mnan.i 

Meanwhile,  I'orgv  at"  on,  growling  all  the  while. 

"This  is  life,  with  a  vengeance,  and  I  ;//w'  bo  a  patriot  if  I 
Btand  it  mneh  longer  1  Nothing  see:  'lime!  Hand 

me  the  bottle,  I.ance,  and  run  down  to  the  branch  with  the  cup. 
1  believe  I  should  perish  utterly,  but  for  the  little  seasoning  of 
Jamaica  which  is  left.  Al  ["looking  at  the  small  remains  "' 


WIDOWS  Tin  367 

the    liquor   in  tin-    1  ,>ttle,  "  it  is  now  uiilv  what  the  ]  .,et  rails  the 

drop  of  sweetening  in  the  draught  of  c 

"  I'ut  if  it  he  :i  draught  of  rare,  lieuteuai  arch 

ly,  taking  up  the  cup,  and  moving  toward  the  branch.  "  why  do 
you  drink  of  it  so  often  .'" 

•  ften  !      When,  1    pray  you,  have  I    drank  of  it    ! 

"  Only  three  miles  hack,  at  the  (Jivm  P.ranch." 

"Oh!    I  drank  three  miles  hack,  at  the  (iieen  Branch, 
Well,  it  was  the  cup  of  Lethe  to  me,  since  J   certainly  forgot  all 
ahout  it." 

"  Tin-re  couldn't    have  heen   much    hitternesn   in  the  dr.iiii:li; 
lieutenant,  or  the  taste  would  still  he  in  your  mouth.      Hut,  : 
you  forgotten  the  other  cupful    at  Swan's    M  '-out  nine 

miles   hack  I" 

"  I)o  you  call  that  a  draught,  you  ajie  of  manhood,  when  y<'i, 
know  that  the    .Jamaic  -t    employed    to    p  th^ 

that  \'ile  mill-pond  wat. 

gone,  and  hring  the  water.      This  i.\  goou  :,d  I  will  \ 

a  draiiLr!  '  genuine    cupful  ;     since    the  oth- 

calculated  to  provoke  the  thirst  and  mortify  the  desire. 

The  returned  with  the  water.      The    worthy  epicure 

refreshed    hi>  inner    man  ;     threw  himself  hack    upon    the   ^ 
turf,  ui-.-ler  the  pleasant  shade-trees,  and 
in    meditating  tin-  merit  of  his  perfoiman 

crunched  <jui«-tly  on  ti  •  .    lit 

tle  while,    neither    par1  At  length     1 

taciturnity  \va  i  virtue,  hr«.ke  the 

"  Lance,  mv  boj,  JTOU 

"  Iln\s   >.»,  li<-utei. 

M  When  do  you  propose  to  n  little  girl,  Klh     G 

"  Well,  sir.   I  can't  Mty  .       I' 

"  r.-haw,  fo.,1.  When  a  giil 

married.  iy    to    he    mar:^-;.       l.iy    that  doWH  M  a  law 

The  consent  to  marrv  inij  !  'dug  ;    and  all  the:. 

apon  the  man." 

"Perhaps " 

"  Perhaps        I   tell   y-m   it   M  so,  and    more   than   that,  I   fe«l 


KATHAIMNK    WALTON. 

pretty  sure  that  unless  you  are  picked  up  l>y  a  British  bayonet 
or  bullet,  you'll  marry  before  the  war  is  over." 

"  I  should  like  it,  I  own,  lieutenant." 

"  No  doubt ;  no  doubt ;  and  you  are  right.  I  begin  to  think 
that  marriage  is  a  good  thing.  I  have  wasted  many  vears  uu 
prolitably.  How  many  women  might  I  have  made  happy  had 
my  thoughts  led  me  this  way  before.  But  I  may  yet  do  some 
good  in  this  behalf  before  I  die.  1  must  marry  soon,  if  ever." 

"You,  sir!"  with  something  like  .surprise. 

"Ay,  to  be  sure!   why  not?  am  I  too  old,  jackanapes  ?" 

"Oh!  not  a  bit,  lieutenant!" 

"Well!  what  then  ?  what's  to  prevent?  You  don't  suppose 
that  I'm  fool  enough  to  think  of  marrying  a  slight,  fanciful,  in 
experienced  thing,  such  as  you  desire.  The  ripe,  sir,  not  the 
green  fruit,  for  me.  1  require  a  woman  who  has  some  knowl 
edge  of  life ;  who  is  skilled  in  housekeeping ;  who  can  achieve 
successes  in  the  culinary  department;  who  knows  the  difference 
between  hash  and  haggis,  and  can  convert  a  terrapin  into  a 
turtle,  by  sheer  dexterity  in  shaking  the  spice  box.  There  is 
another  quality  which  a  woman  of  this  description  is  likely  to 
possess,  and  that  is  a  due  and  reverent  sense  of  her  husband's 
authority.  It  is  because  of  her  deference  for  this  authority  that 
she  acquires  her  art.  She  has  learned  duly  to  study  his  desires 
and  his  taste>,  and  she  submits  her  judgment  to  his  own.  She 
waits  to  hear  his  opinion  of  the  soup,  and  is  always  ready  to 
promise  that  she  will  do  better  next  time.  I  feel  that  I  could 
be  happy  with  such  a  woman." 

"  No  doubt,  sir." 

"The  difficulty  is  in  finding  such.  There  are  precious  few 
women  who  combine,  all  the  necessarv  qualities.  They  are  not 
often  native.  They  come  from  training.  A  wise  father,  or  a 
wise  husband,  will  make  such  a  woman  ;  she  can  not  make  her 
self.  Were  I,  for  example,  the  husband  of  a  girl  such  as  your 
Ellen  —  " 

"My  Ellen,  sir!" 

"  Oh  !  don't  be  alarmed,  boy  ;   I  have  no  idea  of  such  a  folly  ! 
But  were  I  the  husband  even  of  such  a  young  and  inexperienced 
it  lire,  and  did  we  live  together  but  ten  years ;  were  I  then 


TH1  MM;   wiv 

to  die,  .-he  would  In-  a  pii/.e  for  any  man.  M  ab 

eolutely  perfect    a>   it    1-  with   Oni  part    (.1 

who.-r  IM^I  merit.-   depend  \cry  much   upon   their  imperfection! 

N..\v,  this   leads   me   to    tin-  reflection  that,  perhap-. 

after  all,  the  he>t  materials  out   of  which   to  make  <M>od  wi\e- 

always   assuming  that  they  have   been    fortunate   in   tin 

hion  of  hu-hands  like  myself,  who  have  heeii  aide  to  -how  them 

the  proper   paths   to   follow,  ami  who   have  had  the  will  to  keep 

well    them    always   in   the   tiai'es.      I    am   c-leaily    of  the   opinion 

that  widows  allord  the  very  he>t   material   out    of  which  to  man 

nfaeture  \\ 

"  Indeed,  sir." 

"V  :!    isiv  \\idow  would    !»••   a   treasure    t'«"'   any  man 

and  if  1    could   only  find  the  widow  of  a   man  who   in   some  r« 

-eml.led  my.M'lt',   I  >hou!d  commit  matriin- 

"  (',,!, unit  !  —  when   you   .said  that,  lieutenant,   I    thought    mur 
der  was  to  he.  the  next  word,  in>tead  of  matrimony." 

"l>id    vou  !      You   are    -eltin^   hunioroii.s  in  y-ui   ohi 
hon." 

rl\  .  ifter  this.  .1  minutes:   hut   1'^ 

reMimed,  apparently  taking  up  a  new  topic  entindy. 
"  1 

,,,  !       1  do  pity  her!      I  liked  Critlli  .  :  : 

much  a  person  of  my  own  r  .cline.l,  j  . 

copious  or  various,  hut  with  an  evident  teiide. 

l-ody  in  camp  relished  my  terrapin  M-JIJI  half  >o  well,  and,  fora" 
ordinary  BtCW,  he  WM    a-lmirahle    himself.      ^^ 
Ti«,tes    fol    OtU  .         i  it  surpi  thai 

otu-  ingredicnti  and  the  .jm.ntii.'  letkm,  the 

rtry  time,      I    liked    tin-    jioor    fellow    from   that  n 
he,  I  think,  ha«l  (jiiitt-  a  liking  for  : 

••  That  he  had,  lieutei 

.-1      :      ;  Lance.      Many  of  his   other 

tiet.  re>einhle.l  mine.       lie                                                |  I 

in  too  ^reat  a  hi.:        I              which  \v  Q€  WM   I 

of  character,  ind                                                      •  ;l  lnan  {>i  will> 

tod  when  he  put  his  t-»t  down,  there  it  stuck.  It  wan  Uw.      1 


•>.'>  KATMAKIN  I!    WALTON. 

have  IK. t  tin-  slighted  doubt  that  poor  Mrs.  (JriMin  is  an  admirablv- 
t  rained  \voinan." 

There  \\as  a  pause,  in  which  IWijy  hiinsel!'  roee,  look  his  cup 
and  bottle  and  went  down  to  tin-  brooklet,  sayinir  —  "  Thinking  <»f 
p-H.r  driliin,  I  will  drink  to  his  memory." 

li"  -  on  returned  and  resumed  the1  sul'jeet,  somewhat,  we  should 
f :n ivy.  lo  the  annoyance  of  his  companion. 

"I  am  of  opinion.  Lance,  that  Mrs.  drift::!,  when  a  irirl.  must 
have  --really  resembled  your  Kllcn.  S!,-.  ictlj  the  same 

•  and  hair,   the    same    mouth    and    chin,  and,  allowing  for  the 
natural   portliness  of  a  woman  of    thirty-five,   very  mueh  the  same 

She    i-;    a    line-lookim:    woman    now;  and    in    lu  r  you  will 

ratified  to  see  what   her  daughter    will    lie    twenty   years    hence. 

If    she    has    trained    her  :,•  rself    has    been  trained,  you  will 

have   every    reason    !•>    be    satisfied.      Did    you    ever   pbeerve,    when 

.in  was    in    camp  with    us    on    the    Santee,  how   frequentlv 
I    dined    in    drirtin's  mess?     Well,    it    was   in    tribute  to  her  excel 
lent    merit    in    preparing    the    dinner.       Her    husband    shared     the 
labor,   it  metIm.CS    contributed   by  couriM  1  ;|S  an 

amateur.     This,     i,«,    doubt,      helped     her    very     much  ;     but     that 

•  Id   net    be    allowed    to    di-para-e    her    real    merits,   since,   to  1x3 
:i''d     to    submit     to    uood    counsellors,   shows  a  decree  of  \\i\- 

dom,    such    as    ordinary    \v.»me:i    s- -ido.Mi    arrive    at.      Poor  \voman  ! 
how    I    pity    her!      How     such    a     woman,    so     meekly    dependent 
-band,    can    endure    widowhood,    is    verv    problemati 
cal  |" 

There  was  another  pftUSC,  Lance    l-Yamp'on    b<  in-  heard    to  turn 

My  behind  the  tree.  v.  IK  n  Tor  d — 

•'  5TC8  '   ll-e  tnilh  b  n,.t  tO  !>••  denied.      1  have   been   (Mlile  too   self- 
bh!       I    iniirlit    have    made    many  a  woman   happy  -     I  ini-hl    b 
'•arri  .:ii,n  to  th.-  l.eari  of  many  a  suirerimi  wido\\  !     I  have 

lived  iliii^  ](>n.    in  \ain.      I  nuM  make  amends.      1  must  sink  self,   in 
the  sense  of  duty!— Cora  -addle  the  horses,  lad.  and  let  u- 

ling." 


GKIKF       i: A  en:,-    ta  371 


(MI  A  I'T  ER    X  L 

UKIKK BA<  O.N     AMi     I 

IN    less   than   two   hours,  our  companions  reached  the  1. 
farmstead  which  the  widow  Griffin  occupie-".     Tin-  dwelling 
A  poor  Cabin  of  l.-^s,  with    hut    two  rooms,  such    as  wa-   common 
enouirh  nl'(-:l  the  c»min y.      Tin-  tract  of  Iniul,  consisting  «•! 
hunured  acres,  was  anij.Ir  for  so  small  a  family.     This  proj 
with  a  few  head   of  catth'.  a  scon-  «»f  lm-s.  several  of  \\hich  lay 
gmnting  in  the  road  in  front  of  the    entrance,  and    other   tr 

>t  oi'  a    1  .r«-:lier,  a  crij«|ile,  who  died  hut  a 

few  months    befon  i   whom    Mrs.  ( Jriliin.  \\  itli    her  daughter, 

had    .  i  the  camj)  «.f  Marimi  to  attend  in  his   last   ill. 

Tin'    place  had   a  very  cheerless   a-pect.      Tl.«  dis 

mantled,  the   open  sp«:  ^i->\vn   np   ii:  .,n«l   seme 

p       lies  of  c<'in,  from  which  the  frn'.t  had  1  een  partially  Btri] 
already,  strij'ped,   indei'il,   as   it    ripened  —  added    rather   t« 
cold  ..ml  discouraging  appearance  of  the  pi. 

Our  companions  did  not,  at  once,  and  l-oldly,  ride  np  t<>  the 
habitation,  'i'liey  .  well  pi  f  | 

an  indiscretion.      When  within  halt  a  mil. 

turned    into   the  proodft,  made   a    partial  </>  fin// ,  and  while    1'. 
remained    under   c  \  ramptoii    stole  forward,  on  : 

to    reconnoitre.      The    1  I  I  in 

the  thick 

Lance  was  absent  ahout  a  quarter  of  an  hour  only,  hut  l«»n- 
enough  to  make  his  superior  quite  impatie:,;.  The  vmith, 
though  ea^er  to  i^ain  the  c-.t:.  .  \  et  too  well  t. 

move    incnutionnly.      He    had    6)  himsrlf  ii. 

npproach,  RH  well  as  he  cmihl,  by  the  cuver  of  contiguous   tree* 
Theae   had    ber.n   allowec   to  grow   -diuost  to  the  eaves  of  th? 


372  K  ATI  I  A  KINK    \\MA\-S. 

building,  in  front  ami  rear,  affording  an  excellent  protection 
from  the  sun,  which,  as  the  house  was  without  a  piazza,  was  ab 
solutely  necessary  for  comfort  in  such  a  climate. 

The  door  was  open  in  the  rear  of  the,  building,  and  the  first 
glimpses  of  it  showed  Lance  the  person  of  his  pretty  sweetheart, 
sitting  just  within  it,  busily  engaged  with  the  needle.  The 
youth,  his  heart  beating  more  than  ever  quickly,  glided  forward 
with  increased  stealthiness  of  tread,  in  the  hope  to  surprise  her. 
To  creep  beside  the  building,  until  he  had  nearly  reached  the 
doorway,  and  then,  with  his  cheek  against  the  wall,  to  murmur 
her  name,  was  the  simple  art  he  used.  She  started,  with  a 
slight  cry,  at  once  of  pleasure  and  astonishment,  and  ex 
claimed — 

"  Oh  !  Lance  !     Is  it  you  ?     IIow  you  scared  me  !" 

"  I  did  not  mean  to  scare  you,  Ellen." 

"To  surprise  me  so,"  continued  the  girl:  "and  I  without 
stockings  on  ;"  and  with  a  blush,  she  drew  the  delicately-formed 
white  feet  beneath  her  dress,  but  not  before  the  eye  of  the 
youth  had  rested  upon  their  whiteness. 

"  And  how's  father  ?  where,  did  you  leave  him  ?" 

Lance  was  silent.  The  gravity  of  his  face  at  her  question  did 
not  escape  her.  She  spoke  eagerly — 

"lie's  well,  Lance,  ain't  he  1" 

"  Where's  your  mother,  Kllen  V 

"  In  the  room."     She  pointed  to  the  chamber. 

"  Well,  I  must  go  and  report  to  Lieutenant  1'orgy.  Ill's 
lere.  lie's  got  letters  for  your  mother.  There's  been  no  Hrit- 
isli  or  torirs  about?" 

"Yes:  they've  been  about,  I  hear.  t>onie  passed  up  ye.-ter- 
day,  by  the  other  road.  But  all's  safe  hereabouts  now,  I 
reckon." 

"  I'll  mn,  then,  and  bring  the  lieutenant.  He'll  be  mighty 
tired  of  waiting." 

"But  yon  haven't  told  me,  about  father,  Lance:" 

"No  !'*  said  he,  hesitatingly,  "the  lieutenant  will  tell  you  all  " 

"But  he's  well,  Lance  —  he's  well/  You  haven't  had  any 
fighting,  have  you  !" 

"  Wait  awhile,  Elleu,"  he  answered  as  he  hastened  away,  and 


GKIKF  ,     AND    KGGS.  373 

his  evasion  of  tin-  inquiry  at  once  alarmed  the  quick  instincts  of 
tin-  girl.  She  called  immediately  to  her  mother. 

-Oli!  mother,  there's  news  from  camp,  ami  I'm  afcanl  it'i 
bad  news" 

"  I1.. id  D0Wfl  :  Kllen,"  answered  the  mother,  coining  forth. 

"I'm  at'eard  ;  for  Lance  has  just  1-een  here,  and,  when  1 
,i»ked  him  ahout  father,  he  would  tell  me  nothing,  hut  has  gone 
i»rt  tw  call  Lieutenant  I'orgy,  who  is  here  too  in  the 

••  LftuOC  wouldn't  hring  had  news,  Ellen." 

:  if  he  could  help  it,  mother;   hut  why  didn't  he  answer 
me  \\hen  i  a.-ked  after   lather;   and  why  did    he  say  that  Lieu 
tenant  I'-.igy  would  tell  us  all?" 

:ueiia.il     I'orgy —  he's    here     too/''    said     the,     mother, 
smoothing    her   wip    and    apron.     "If  it    was    had    news,  Kllen, 
hear  it  soon  enough.     It's  never  slow  to  travel  when  it '• 
had." 

"  I  'in  sure  father  's  hurt  ;  something 's  the  matter.  They've 
had  a  hattle  ;  and  why  didn't  In 

"  Well,  I  don't  know.-    hut  mayhe  lie  did  write." 

"Hut,  if  he  did,  wouldn't  Lance    ha\  •  bt  the  letter  the 

first  thing  {" 

"Mayhe  the  lieutenant's  got  it  !  I).. n't  he  foolish,  Kllen.  I 
don't  think  Lance  would  he  the  one  to  come  with  had  i;> 

"  Oh  !    I  know  he  'd  he  sorry  to  do  so  ;    hut,  mother,  he  ! 
•orry  enough  when  I  a-.ked  al>'»ut  father,  and  he  sp«ke  M>  little." 

Come,  child,  you 'ie    always   thinking  "f  the  idmid  he- 
comes!      That's  not  right.      (Jo,  now.  and  look  up  something  t<>r 
Lance  and  the    lieutenant   to  eat.      1    reckon    they'll  he  precious 
hungry.      Put  on  a  pot  of  lunnuuj  at  once,  and  kindle  up  the 
and  get  down    the   gourd  of  eggs,  while   1  that 

hacon.  I  don't  think  there's  any  had  n.  ITS,  1  don't  !«•»•!  like 
it!  God  knows  we've  had  sorrow  enough  to  last  u.-  ii"W  fora 
long  time,  and  I  ain't  willii  .::rr  any 

more  on  a  sudden.  Come  in.  Kllen,  and  stir  yourself;  that  fu 
the  way  to  lose  tl.  1  >  >n't  he  h-okii 

them" — meaning  the  men  —  "it  don't  look  quite  proper  form 
young  girl,  Ellen." 

44  Oh  1  mother,  how  can  you 


874  KATHAIilXK    WALTON. 

The  souk-nee  remained  untinished.  The  girl  obeyed,  and 
was  soon  busied  with  the  domestic  preparations  which  the 
mother  had  suggested.  The  pot  of  hominy  was  soon  upon  the 
tire,  the  eggs  laid  out  upon  the  table,  and  Mrs.  Griffin  herself, 
with  a  somewhat  unsteady  hand,  prepared  to  cut  from  the  shoul 
der  of  bacon  the  requisite  number  of  slices.  She  was  interrupted 
while  thus  employed,  by  the  arrival  of  the  expected  - 
Her  agitation,  when  she  received  them,  was  not  less  ^.n  .:  , 
though  less  conspicuous  than  that  of  her  daughter.  The.  pooi 
woman  seemed  to  fancy  that  a  certain  degree  of  hardihood  was? 
essential  to  proper  dignity.  It  is,  indeed,  a  characteristic  of 
bumble  life  among  the  people  of  the  forest  country  of  the  south 
and  southwest,  to  assume  an  appearance  of  stoicism  under  grief, 
in  which  they  resemble  the  Indian;  appearing  to  consider  it  a 
weakness  of  which  they  have  reason  to  be  ashamed,  when  they 
give  .vent  to  their  natural  emotions  under  affliction.  In  like 
manner,  it  is  their  habit  to  suppress  very  much  their  show  of 
impatience,  particularly  when  they  are  conscious  of  an  active 
and  growing  curiosity.  Mrs.  (.iriilin  felt  fully  the  anxieties  of 
her  daughter,  but  her  training  was  superior  to  the  nature  which 
strove  within  her.  She  met  her  visitors  with  the  air  of  one  who 
had  nothing  to  fear;  and,  that  she  really  felt  anxiety,  was  to  bo 
seen  entirely  in  the  measured  and  cold  manner  with  which  she 
welcomed  them. 

"I'm  glad  to  see  you,  Lance.  I'm  sure  you're  welcome, 
lieutenant  ;  sit  down.  You  must  be  mighty  tired  with  your  long 
ride  in  this  hot  weather." 

"Tired  and  hungry,  and  thirsty  and  sleepy,  all  together,  M  rs 
Griffin,  I  assure  you.  And  how  is  Miss  Kllen  I  has  she  no  wel 
come  for  an  old  friend  /"  was  the  reply  of  Porgy. 

The  girl,  who  had  hitherto  hung  back,  now  advanced  and  put 
her  hand  shyly  within  his  grasp,  hut  said  nothing. 

1  Ah  !  you  are  still  as  bashful  and  still  as  pretty  as  ever,  my 
little  damsel.  Don't  be  shy  of  me,  my  dear  creature.  I  need 
not  tell  you  that  I  am  old  enough  to  be  your  father;  and  1  fee1 
that  I  could  love  you  like  a  father.  You  would  hardly  think, 
but  1  have  a  heart  full  of  the  milk  of  human  kindness.  It  might 
have  been  better,  perhaps,  for  me,  in  a  mere  worldly  point  of 


— r.  \C-ON*    i  875 

riew,  bad  I  less.  But  I  am  content.  The  feelings  which  I 
possess  are  more  precious  to  me  than  vaults  of  gold  and  wagons 
of  silver."  He  released  her  hand  as  he  spoke  tliis,  and,  ad'. 

Mrs.  Griffin,  proceeded   as    if  the   girl  were   no   longer  in 
hearing. 

"  Ah  !   madam,  what  a  treasure  to  you  to  have  such  a  child  as 
that.     She  is  all  gentleness  ana  sweetness,  and  all  duty,  I  am 

"  She    is,  indeed,  a   blessed   child.      There   are   few   like   her, 
Lieutenant 

Kllen  stopped  not  to  listen  to  her  own  praises  thus  began,  but 
*tole    out,  :oll<iwcd    by  Frampton.       I'orgy.  obeying   the 

,ted  request  of  his   lioness,  proceeded    to  take  a  seat,  while 
woman,  bavin;:  finished    slicing  her  bacon,  and  thrown 
it  into    the  frying-pan,  laid    the    implement   upon    the   table  con 
veniently    beside    the    eggs,   and.  having    looked    at    tl 
hominy,  given   it  a  :-tir.  and    pushed    up   t  -h    i', 

•J.rew  a  chair  near  the  fireplace,  and,  folding  her  hands  in  her 
.;']>,  assumed,  unavoidably  the  look  of  a  person  in  waiting  and 
ex  pectation. 

The    lieutenant    surveyed    her    curiously  as  she  sat    tin 

Lent  upon  the  ground,  and  only  rai>-  nallv  to  look 

«t  the  tire.      Mrs.  (iriliin  was  a  comely  woman,  not  much  Le\ 
:he  miildle  period  of  life,  ami.  as  thus  she  sat,  plainly,  but  m 
dressed,  with  a  face  smo,,th  yet,  and  fair,  and  with  the  bloom  of 
health  upon  her  cheeks,  our  lieutenant  inwardly  said  — 

••  V.-rily,  the  woman  is  well  to  look  upon." 

His  conviction  took  a  somewhat  different  shape  when  put  into 
I 

"  Mrs.  Griffin,  you    are   very   comfortable    here;   that    i 
might  be.  with    health    and    youth,  and    a    pleasant    abode  —  one 
that    may  be    made   so,  certainly  —  but,  don't   you    find    it 
lonesome  J" 

"  I  'm  used  to  it,  lieutenant." 

"Yes,  indeed;   and    that   is   fortunate.      'I 

lonesome-  :  e  independent,  in  in5^* 

of  life.      Solitude,  once  familiar  to  the  mind,  ceases  to  !>,-  ,,j.; 
give;   and  who  is  sure  hav*>  a  larg* 


376  KATHARINE   WALTON. 

number  of  relatives  and  friends,  but  what  is  to  secure  us  against 
the  chance  of  losing  them  ?  We  may  liavc  a  full  house  to-day, 
and  all  shall  be  silent  and  cheerless  to-morrow.  Such  are  life's 
vicissitudes.  It  is  fortunate,  therefore,  when  one  has  been  pre 
pared  already  for  such  privations.  Misfortune,  then,  can  do  us 
little  evil,  and  should  death  steal  into  the  household " 

"  Death  !  Lieutenant  Porgy  ?" 

"  Yes,  Mrs.  Griffin,  death.  We  must  all  die,  you  know.  One 
will  be  taken  away,  and  another  will  be  left,  and  the  survivor 
will  have  necnl " 

"  Lieutenant,  a'n't  you  just  from  the  camp  ?" 

•«  Not  very  long,  ma'am." 

"And  my  husband  —  didn't  he  write  —  didn't  he  know  that 
you  were  coming  into  those  parts  ?." 

"  Why,  no,  ma'am,  he  didn't  write  —  he  didn't  know  —  he — " 

"Lieutenant,  there's  something  you've  got  to  tell  !"  inter 
rupted  the  woman.  "  Speak  to  me,  now  that  Ellen's  not  here. 
Let.  me  know  if  there's  anything  the  matter  with  my  husband." 

"  Well,  Mrs.  Griffin,  I'm  sorry  to  say  that  something  is  the 
matter,"  replied  Porgy,  seriously  —  the  earnest,  sad,  almost  stern 
manner  of  the  widow  impressing  him  with  solemnity,  and  com 
pelling  him,  by  a  natural  intuition  of  what  was  proper,  to  forego 
all  the  absurdities  and  affectations  of  speech  which  a  long  in 
dulgence  had  rendered,  in  great  degree,  habitual.  He  con 
tinued — 

"  You  are  a  strong  woman,  Mrs.  Griffin  ;  you  have  seen  much 
trouble  and  sorrow,  and  you  must  be  pn-pareil  for  more." 

"Tell  me !"  she  exclaimed,  clasping  her  hands  and  bonding 
toward  him.  "  Tell  me!  Don't  keep  me  in  this  misery." 

"We  have  had  a  battle,  Mrs.  Griffin."     Here  he  paused. 

"  And  he  was  killed  !  —  he  was  killed  !"  was  her  cry. 

Porgy  was  silent.      His  ryes  were  cast  upon  the  iloor. 

"  Walter  Griffin  !  Oh,  my  God  !  my  poor,  poor  Walter  !  He 
fg  dead  —  he  is  dead  !  I  shall  never  M-e  him  again  !" 

The  head  of  the  woman  fairly  dropped  upon  her  knees,  while 
strong,  deep  sobs  broke  from  her  breast,  with  occasional  ejacu 
lations. 

"  Walter,  Walter,  my  poor,  poor  Walter  !" 


r.lili-F 

y  did  not    reason    unwisely  when    lie   forhoye  all  et" 
consolation.      He  took    the   opportunity,  now  that  slie  M-emod  to 
he  in  full   ,  .  of  the  tart,  to  relate  the  j.artin; 

"  He  died  like  a  hrave  man,  Mrs.  Griiiin,  in  hattle  against  the 
enemies  of  his  country  !" 

"  All  !  1  know'd  he  would.  Walter  was  a  true  man.  He  lia.l 
the  heart  of  a  lion  in  him  !" 

"  That  he  had,  indeed,  Mrs.  Griffin.  I  will  hear  witness  to 
his  courage  and  his  manhood.  He  was  a  hrave.  generous,  wh.-le- 
Houled  fellow  —  a  jjfood  companion  and  an  excellent  friend." 

"'  »r,  poor  Walter!      Hut   you   don't  know  half 

what  he  was  to  n,.-,  when  there  was  nohody  and  nothing!  —  ah  ! 
how  could  you  know?  And  what  is  to  her-. me  of  us  now!  — 
my  child  —  my  poi.r  Kllen,  fatherless  here,  in  these  cruel  time*, 
and  in  these  lonoome  \\ 

"Ah!    Mi>.  (Jriiiin,  rememher  you  an-  a  Christian.      Tm-- 
(•  :th  it  the  hest  of   j.iomi-ev      II, •  temper!  the  wind 

.<•  shorn  lan:h.      You  will  never  want  a  jn  1   am  Mure, 

and  your  swei-t  and  gentle  daughter  wfl]  surely  tind  a  father 
and  many  frie: 

"Oh!  1  don't  MM-  ir/trrt;  lieutenant  ;  \\  e  are  very  |H...r.  and 
very  unl.efriended.  If  the  \\ar  >\  'j'le  w..uhi 

hack   to  the  scttlemei:' 

"The  war    \\  ill     ! ver    1  •  'lie     j.«-nj.le    \\ill 

c,.nie  hark  to  the  settlements.  You  \\ill  have  many  ami 
kind  neighbor*;  air!  I  can  j)romiM-  \-oii.  If n.  Griffin, OD€  arm-n^ 
them,  v.  Ir-  \\ili  he  a>  true  a  friend  t-  lie  was  ; 

hushand.       I.i-t    ;  >ied    to  us.  rind  if  mv  life  i>  sjiared 

IIK-,  1   nii-an  to  live  in  this  i»a;-i>h.      I   \\ill  he  your  friend.      I  \\ill 

•  your  daughter.      I  will  ho  a  father  to  her,  out  of  ti 
1   hoto  to  her  father." 

"Oh!    lieutenant,  1    thank    yu    for    JOV    kit,  MI    tho 

hottoin  ..f  my  heart.      I    reckon  \  ou  \\ill    l«e  as  : 
hody   in  the  world;    hut    there's    RO  Mich    t! 
hushand  and    the  father,  and  in.-'kinj:  MS  feel  as  if  \\  e  ha<. 
known    the    lofti,       <  )h  !     W.M!'  ! 

that  you  would    he    kille.l  !  v  the    enemy  !       I  know'd    ho 

:,!0    he  v.  as,  lieutenant.      1    told    him    he    ought    not    to  ho 


878  K  ATI!. \IH.\K    WALTON. 

rash,  for  the  sake  of  his  wife  and  dan -'liter  ;  and  it's  all  turned 
out  as  1  warned  liiin.  My  God  !  what  are  we  to  do  now,  hcr« 
in  this  lonesome  wilderness  !  1  don't  s<-e  !  I  don't  see  !  I  feel 
as  if  I  could  lay  right  down  and  die." 

•4  Don't  give,  up,  Mrs.  Grifiin.  There's  no  help  in  despair. 
Death  must  come,  at  last,  to  all  of  us.  It  might  be  Grifiin  or  it 
might  be  me.  It  might  be  on  the  field  of  battle,  or  it  might  be 
here  in  bed.  We  can't  know  the  moment  when  the  summons 
must  be  heard,  and  we  must  resign  orrrselves  with  philosophy, 
to  a  fate  from  which  there  is  no  escape.  There's  no  use  in  sor 
row." 

"Oh!  but  who  can  help  it,  lieutenant!  I  know  there's  no 
bringing  Walter  back  ;  but  that  don't  make  me  feel  easier  be 
cause  he's  gone.  If  1  did'nt  cry,  my  heart  would  be  sure  to 
burst." 

Her  speech  throughout,  was  broken  by  continual  sobs  and 
wailing.  The  evidences  of  real  feeling  were  quite  too  conspic 
uous  to  suffer  1'orgy  to  indulge  in  any  follies,  and  what  he  said, 
dy  way  of  consolation,  Mas  respectfully  and  kindly  said,  though 
as  usual  in  such  cases,  of  no  value.  At  length,  he  bethought 
him  of  Singleton's  letter,  and  the  money  intrusted  to  his  care. 

"  It  ought  to  be  a  great  satisfaction  to  you,  Mrs.  Griflin,  that 
Walter  had  so  completely  won  the  love  of  everybody  in  cam}). 
I've  seen  the  colonel  himself  standing  over  him,  with  the  big 
tears  gathering  on  his  cheek,  as  he  listened  to  his  last  words. 
The  colonel  has  written  to  you  in  this  letter." 

"  God  bless  him  !  Colonel  Singlet- m  is  a  good  man,  and  Wal 
ter  loved  him  very  much.  Read  the  letter  for  me,  lieutenant, 
for  I'm  too  blind  to  see  the  writing." 

The  letter  of  consolation  was  read  accordingly.  It  set  the 
stream  of  tears  flowing  anew. 

"  Really,"  thought  Porgy  as  he  watched  her,  "a  most  exem 
plary  woman.  It  is  pleasant  to  think  that  we  shall  be  thus 
wept  and  remembered  when  we  are,  no  more." 

This  reflection  led  to  another.  "  What  a  profitless  life  i«* 
mine  !  Were  they  to  assign  me  my  last  tenement  to-morrow,  I 
doubt  if  a  single  eye  would  give  out  water  ;  unless,  indeed,  this 
youngster,  Lance,  and  possibly  'pom  the  cook  !  Verily,  *hii 


(JRIEF  —  P.  A  i  <>\     \\[.  :',7? 

tiling  moat  be  emended.     This  poo-/  woman  is  tin-  ISOD 

'o  whom  I    must  administer  consolation.  ;unl  frnm  whom    I  ; 

:ve  it.      Hut,  not  now!    not  now!      We  nm>t   _  -lvp« 

She  feels  her  sorrow,  that  is   clear,  and  docs  not    merely 
it  ;   hut  the  stream  Hows  too  frcelv  to   hi-t  over  loni:  ;   ami 
the  fountain  that  exhaust.-  itself  (pickly,  will  soon  feel  the  : 
of  new  supplii 

Such  was  the  unspoken  philosophy  of  our  epicure.      He  real 
ly  penoaded  himself  that  the  sort  of  conflation.  which  he  pro 
PM-IM!    ultimately  to  ofler  to  the  widow,  was   the  proof  of  a 
tain  virtue  in  himself.      He  congratulated    himself  with  the  con 
viction.  that  he  was  ahout  to  do  a  charitalde    action.      An    inter 
val  in  the  -rrief  of  Mr-.  (Jntfiii  allowed  him  to  place  in  her  hand 
the  ten  guinea.-  which  had  l.een  sent  her  1  y   B 
watch,    and    some    other   trifles    which    h« 

them  little  heed,  emptying  the  ^o]d  up  m  the  tai-le,  and  putting 
the  watch    into  her    l-nsnm.      TluMi.  as  if  ^in-leto:  ha.l 

to  1-e  read,  she  turned  it  over,  and  appran-d  striv'n,. 
iiersdf  of  its  contents.      Hut    she    blU  a    moinei  I 

ij  in|  — 

"  I  can't  WC  the   ictu  r  !"      What  does    the    (•«.]•.  nel    say,  lieu 
tenant  r 

!!••  Igail    e    :    DD6OCC  ;   ::.••   ;  -  RUal  of  the  letter,  hut  ha.l 
ly  r-  :  a  sentence,  when  hasty  fret  Wta 

trance    without,    and,    in    the    next    moment.    Kllrn    (Jritlin 
J<ancr    Imniedly    entrreil    the    apartment.       lioth    seemed 
much    agitated.      Tin-    eyes  of  tlie  ^irl   v.cre    red  with    weeping, 
and  the  !•!«;  dp.ps    yrt  sf  .....  I  upon    her   cheeks.      Hut    there    wa« 
little  time  allowed  for  observation. 

"  T}ul  ied-coats,  lieutenant  —  t!ie  Hritish  !" 


"  Not  a  (juarter  ahove,  coming  down  at  a  walk,  drapmiiv 
than    fifty  that    I    see!      We    must    cut    lor    the    hu>hes.      We'll 
have  time,  if  v  ut  we  must  nin  for  it." 

"  rrhe  devil  !     run  !     as  if   I  had   not  an  infirmity  in    in}  heel, 
like  that  of  Achillr 

"Shut  the  front  door,  Kllen."  cried  the  j  •  ;  ilBn. 

"  H.-tter  gather  up  the        _ 


380  KATHARIXK    WALTON. 

44  or  the  British  will  swear  to  tin-  stamp.  Lance,  my  boy.  can 
we  fin<l  cover  all  the  way  back  .'" 

"  Pretty  much  !  There's  a  bend  in  tie  road  above,  just  here 
at  the  con  er  of  the  cornfield,  where  there  is  a  piece  of  woods 
that  screens  us  for  awhile,  and  if  we  get  beyond  that,  we're,  in 
I  he  thicket.  But  we  must  put  out  at  once." 

*'  To  be  sure  we  must!  Mrs.  (Jrillin,  with  your  permi.-.-ion 
we'll  withdraw  the  temptation  of  this  bacon  and  these,  eggs  from 
ilic  eyes  of  these  rapacious  red-coats.  We  must  not  feed,  or 
give  comfort  in  any  way  to  the  enemy.  Lance,  tumble  the<«- 
eggs  into  the  frying-pan  —  it  already  contains  the  bacon,  and 
take  it  on  your  shoulder.  I  will  take  possession  of  the  jmt  «»f 
hominy." 

"But  I  have  my  rifle,  lieutenant." 

"  What  of  that  !  carry  both,  can't  you  ?  I  have  my  sword, 
do  you  see  ;  yet,  1  mean  to  take  the  pot  also." 

"  We  must  be  in  a  hurry,  lieutenant,"  said  Lance,  swinging 
the  frying-pan,  laden  with  eggs  and  bacon,  over  his  left  shoul 
der,  and  grasping  his  rifle  in  his  right  hand. 

'•  Oh  !  yes  !  better  go  !"  cried  Kllen,  entreatingly,  who  divi 
ded  her  time  between  a  watch  through  the  cracks  of  the,  door 
and  her  lover.  Wiping  her  eyes  with  her  apron,  Mrs.  Griffin 
hurried  their  departure  also. 

Porgy  had  already  seized  upon  the  hangers  of  the  hominy 
pot,  and  was  unbuckling  his  sword,  to  carry  in  his  hand,  that  it 
might  not  embarrass  him  in  walking.  The  sonnds  of  the  ap 
proaching  horse  were  beginning  to  he  faintly  heard,  as  the  two 
partisans  stepped  out  of  the  door  in  the  rear  of  the  building, 
••neb  armed  after  the  fashion  described,  and  stealing  away  un- 
•ler  the-  shelter  of  the  trees. 

It  required  no  extraordinary  haste,  for  the  British  came  slow 
ly  down  the  road.  This  was  fortunate,  since  Porgy  was  not  the 
man  to  fatigue  himself  in  flight,  lie  would  much  prefer  to  en 
counter  odds  in  conflict  at  any  time.  His  portlv  figure  present 
ed  quite  a  picture,  such  as  Cruikshank  would  have  painted  con 
amore,  rolling,  rather  than  striding,  away  beneath  the  trees,  hi* 
*word  in  one  hand,  thrown  out  at  right  angles  with  his  body. 
&e  better  to  preserve  that  balance,  which  was  necessary  to  his 


—  BACOS    \  \  i>  i  <;os.  :'>sl 

the  hominy-pot  nt   a  proper  di-tame    from 
Mrs.   (JriHin  and    her   daughter   watched   tin-   two    from    tin-    ' 
door  for  awhile  ;  then. 

the  entrance  in   th  well  us  the  front,   and 

they  prepared  within  for  the  possible  "ivinir  unwel- 

eon.'  The  nicney.  ju-t   I  and  watt  i 

other  portal>l«   '  down  within  a  seen  t   ln-llo\v 

in   the   lliH.r;    and.    with    a    IH>JM-    that    the    enemy    would    pa--    by 
without    pa'i^ini:.    the    wid<>w    and    the    daughter   both    sat    down, 

1  in  knittinir  and  needle-work. 

Uut   they   were   not   tliu<  destined  ,      The    drsgOODfl    in 

;iiee    vj(, ],]„.,!    ;it     the    entrance   of    the   d\vellin<_r,    and,    as   the 
several   divisions  came    UP,    the\  ^as  some 

delay,  during  which  all  was  anxiety  in  tl, 
and   hi-r   dau-.'i''  r.      A    k:.   ek    followed    at    the 
of  authority  demanded  •  '  ::a't  ly  thn 

\Ii-.    (Iritlin   her- If.   while  her  daiuhi. 

'  .  :        Lei    us    1<  ave    the    widow     \\ith    her   un^ 
while    we  follow  the  footstepa  of  our  lieutciiaut   aud  cusi::n    into 
the  foic.-t. 


CATHARINE 


CHAPTER    XL1. 

POROY    PROVES    POT-VALIANT    ONLY. 

THK  two  partisans,  ladei.  as  they  were,  the  one  with  the  ^. 
of  hominy,  tlie  other  with  the  frying-pan,  made  their  way  to 
the  woods  with  all  despatch,  and  without  detection.  Forhi- 
tnnatcly,  as  we  have,  said,  the  forest  cover  extended  almost  to 
the  cottage.  Our  fugitives  soon  satisfied  themselves  that  they 
were  in  a  place  of  security,  though  hut  a  few  hundred  yarda 
from  the  dwelling.  They  were  in  a  tolerably  close  covert,  on 
the  slope  of  a  moderate  hill,  at  the  foot  of  which  stole  off  a 
slender  brooklet,  the  child  of  a  great  bay  or  wooded  pond,  that 
covered  a  hiu  .Ired  acres,  more  or  less,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  dis 
tant.  Here  Porgy  paused.  lie  l:/id  found  his  pot  of  hominy. 
precious  as  it  was,  an  incumbrance.  He  laid  it  upon  the  ground, 
down  his  sword  beside  it,  drew  a  long  breath,  and  wiped 
repeatedly  the  perspiration  from  his  brows.  Lance  Frampton 
followed  his  example;  and  the  youth,  at  the  bidding  of  his  su 
perior,  proceeded  to  strike  fire  in  his  tinder-box,  which  he 
brought  from  his  horse  furniture  ;  tin  two  steeds  being  fasten 
ed  Mill  farther  in  the  woods,  where  still  bitted  and  saddled, 
they  were  allowed  to  nibble  the  £rass,  which  was  now  tolerably 
rank.  The  fire  kindled,  and  the  pot  set  to  boiling  anew,  Frainp- 
ton  proposed  that  he  should  take  an  observation — in  other 
words,  see  how  the  land  lay  with  tin-  enemy. 

"  Ay,  do  so,  lad.  You  are  o<"  no  use.  here.  You  have  no  mer 
its  in  the  kitchen.  I  will  do  the  cooking,  for  which  I  flatter  my 
self  I  have  a  native  faculty,  and,  if  you  do  not  stay  too  long, 
you  will  find  your  share  of  the  dinner  in  waiting  for  you.  And 


p<n;.,y    PROVES    i'"i-\  \ ;  i  \  \  i    MS  \.\. 

to   ha\e   a  chat    with    Kllcn.      -Many  a  poor  fcllov 
pampered  al   li  Wfl  head.      I'"'  «'ii  the   loofc 

you  \\iil   In-  tru— ed  up  to  the  inst  all  odds,  a- 

r  than  a  spy;  and  I   sha'n't   be  there  to  hear  your   la-' 
sion.      lie    olF,   at   OHOe,    and   -how   your-elf    had.  SOOD  OS 

>le." 

l:,d    promptly  icted  on  thi-  permission.     l!< 

wjll,  thr  thou-h    with  tlu-    cnnnini:    ami    « 

tinii    of    a    much    smaller    animal.      1'  -.n\\  hilr. 

dug.      In    thix    i-roNiiuc    he    \\as    at    home,      i  d    t.» 

boil  ;    \\ith    the    ai<l   of    1 
\\hiih    tin-    paiUMU  habitualh 

1    :,    j.ji    ,  |   clapboard,  \vhich   hr   found  D1    to 

hi-    lian«l.    int"  :'   article    of    wliirh    our  m.rt:. 

trimds    kno\v    nothin.ir,    uidc.s-.   perhaps,  a-  .   as 

Intitule    for  M  hool  l.irch.  \\in-n  an   unruly  urchin  i-  I 
inoMi-hr.h    with    which    he   MiiTed    the   sinun.ri: 

ily    dr.  w    it   up    f«  ;  «.      Hi-   «-'.^rs    "^    l'a«.n.    n 

Nvh,  dj    in    the    fryil'-pan.    to    be   dapped    oil    the    lire    the 

nioin.  r,t     that     the    hominy     had    ivach-d    the    pi 
In    t  "' 

knew    \\li.it    a    Lr""d   Msppi-r   re(|uind.    and    he  had    i  tin- 

v.      Hi-    (al.ulations    \\ere    that     the     B  OD    their 

1    made    but    :i    DKM1 

had    no  Mj-pi-  \iinily    of 

of   the  Amen  "   th:it   lhr.v  wouM 

iihYirntly    far 
Hi    upon     • 

Ptirini;  all  lh- 
calculati. 

longed     n    i  w«  i.'iMuv,  it  would  be  9uyt  tram  his  <>wn  lip 

prove  him  c.|iial  epicure  and  phi'.  :1°8°- 

1,hies    will,     hi-    00  lIpetkHM,    :.:>:  ;-    w>''»    !l11 

charms  of  §Cntiment      He  WM  in«l.,d  a  rare  compound  of  111.- 
sual  and  the  s.-nliniciital  phi! 

.!    to   assume    ; 

-n-hich    rendcixd    il    tit    for  • 


K  ATI!  A  KINK    \V  ALTON. 

away  tin.-  lire  from  beneath  in,  in  order  to  set  on  the  frying-pan,  with 
enls  of  I'L:!;S  and  bacon,  when   Lance  Frampton    reappeared. 
!i  was  all  consternation. 

"  ( )h  !    Lieutenant,    would    you    believe    it?    thc\  '.-lonel 

Walton  a  prisoner  !  " 

"The  d— 1  they  have  |" 

"  Ye<  '  I've  seen  him  myself,  sitting  in  a  chair  in  the  liall, 
;. in!  of  six  dragoons  with  their  pistols  cocked  and 
watching  every  movement  I  counted  more  than  seventy  dr, 
and  I  reckon  there's  quite  a  hundred.  How  could  it  have  hap 
pened  V  What's  t-»  be  done?  \Ve  omrjit  to  be  doiiiir  something  to 
p-t  him  clear  :  " 

••l)oiii'_r  soinethinir,  boy!  What  the  d  — 1  would  you  do  with 
seventy  dragoon-,  or  more  y  If  'ir  own  bacon.  i;'s  ;;s  much 

as  ue  can  h"p"  to  do.      Did  the  enemy   look   as  if  they   wei 
picious  •;     I)o  they  sh->w  sigDS  of  Stopping  loi;^  ?  " 

"  \  M  that  1  Bee!  They  have  only  stopped  to  re-!  and  refresh. 
They've  been  oil'  to  the  spring  and  irot  some  buckets  of  water 
for  themselves,  and  most  of  tlicni  are  leading  their  h": 

rinup  and   rubbitiLr  them    down.     I    saw    several    of  them    out 
in  the  bushes,  here  and  there,  but   they  did  not  str:i.ur.urle  far  from  the 
lint  what's  to  be  (lone  fur  Cnl-ux-l  Walton  ?" 

"  Wh:it  can  be  done?  II, -'s  a  i»ri-oner,  and  must  wait  for  his 
exchange.  I  suppose,  with  what  philosophy  lie  may." 

"Oh,  Mr.  I  Wiry.  I'm  afraid  of  something  WOT96,  I  am  afraid 
they'll  not  treat  him  as  a  common  prisoner.  YOU  remember  that 
they  v,vre  <r.oin<r  to  hanir,  him  when  our  colonel  rescued  him 

l)ef(    ' 

"Thai'-    very    true,"    replied     I'nnry,    with     incr.  ivity  ; 

"that's  very  true.  I  had  not  thought  of  that.  Uut,  what 
ever  may  be  tlieir  jutrpose  with  him.  we  have  no  power  to  serve 
or  save  him.  We  must  only  be  on  the  lookout  to  see  that  we 
•  '•bled  up  by  tlirsc  scarlet  bodied  dni-oons-  - 
whether,  indeed,  they  should  not  be  called  <h-iii,">n>t  rather  than 

"  Lieutenajit,"  said  the  youth  cjuickly,  as  if  with  the  resolution 
suddenly  made,  "  I  must  hurry  <>1T  to  camj)  and  let  our  colonel  know 
all  about  it." 


••  Why.  !.y  this  time." 

••  Y.  j,  sir,  I  r  •  •:.  «,  but  Til  find  him." 
••  \\  i  -'ml    him 

will     ha\e    lh<  ir  '!'h(  iv 

would  In  H,  i!'  tii 

.ml    c'.:t    i! 

to   Hi.        .  and   t<>   know   that    Wallon   is 

in  the  provM,  will  K;  only  anin.yin.^  in! 
is  a  incutli  hence  as  now." 
don't    know,    Mr.    I  Wiry  '     <  >isr    < 
\v.      I    know    1 

rltini:    up 
llii-^    capture,   aii-1 

at  once,    bv    hard-riiT  <•    him    the    information    much 

M    licar  of   it    from  (In  I   must 

"  Yd!  >h:i'n'!    LT"  till  you  have  e:;ti-n.   1 

"  I  <!  .  li<  utenant  ;   I'm  not  at  all  liu; 

"YOU    :i!-''    a    fool!      N-.l    «  :tt  '     il"-fr;i::»l    Hi--  ,;iimal    that 

\\  !,«•!!    its    \\.  rk  i  .11    rat 

ri<le.      A^    for    riding    with    you,    ;  ItCT    to    the 

and    at    tliis    moment.    I    don't  all    the    \v. 

and     >  ihis     and     Ihiekl-'i' 

if  \  on   ( •;,  .  11  that 

you    >hould  ;    for,    a>  you 

<  tiling 

his    kin-man  M    till    y»u    have 

rat«-n.      Ind«  «  d.    \  on    can    not     • 
di-;ii 

"  I  can  t;iki    tin-  hack  track,  lieute-  :ijhal  ilir- 

,j>\\arda!,  id.  and   tin  n   \\  tnd  pu-hin^ 

DM  of  the  Upp-  I  :     iUto." 

d    defeat     \oiil 
more   in   \\t'.  !    1\  in.iT 

:i    hour,    you    in..\ 
rond,    without    an    em  my     in    the    \\:i\.     ()i.' 

.'ii    ride.      I    .-ha'ii't    u"    \\ith    y  u.    mark    th 
17 


KATII  AUINI-:   WAI. TON. 

tainly  stay  to-nicht  at  the  house  of  our  friend.  I  have  much  to 
communicate  --much  to  say,  in  (he  \\ay  of  e. -isolation,  to  this 
amiable  and  lovely  widow.  You  may  tell  the  colonel  that  1  shall 
devote  myself  to  the  task,  MOW  that  Colonel  \Vallon  is  taken,  of 
saving  my  little  party,  ami  our  wauon  of  stoivs.  My  object  will 
he  to  lind  Colont'l  Harden  and  furnish  his  command  with  all 
tliat  is  necessary,  rather  than  risk  everything  by  returning  will 
such  an  incumbraiice.  Tush  up  those  brands,  boy,  and  tun, 
that  bacon.  Our  mess  will  soon  be  ready.  AY  hat  a  savory 
niloi-:  Heaven  send  that  it  penetrates  MM  worse  no.sirils  than  out 
own." 

The  boy  did  as  he  was  directed,  turned  over  the  slices  of  bacon 
in  the  pan  with  an  air  of  resignation,  while  I'..-  the  hominy 

a  finishing  stir,  and  drew  the  pot  from  the  lire,  to- enable  it  to 
cool.  lie  was  thin  busied  when  he  heard  Lance  Framplon  ^-ivc 
v  cry,  and  wa>  astounded  to  see  the  youth  leap  awav,  at  a 
couple  of  bounds,  putting  the  brooklet  and  the  bay  between  them. 
.Just  then,  a  harsh  voice,  just  above  him,  in  the  direction  of  the 
house,  cried  out  — 

"lloo  noo  !  \vha'  would  ye  be  after  there,  you  overgrown  divil 
that  ye  are  I" 

1'oriry,  the  /W-AW.-.v,  with  pot  depending,  still  in  one  hand,  and 
the  hominy  stick  in  the  other,  looked  up  only  to  discover  a  dragoon 
HMirely  inarehing  down  upon  him,  and  but  a  fC¥  If,  !b 

cast  his  eyes  about  him  for  his  sword,  but  it  lay  where  he  had  been 
sitting,  to  the  windward  of  the  lire,  fully  ten  paces  olT.  Here  was 
a  quandary.  The  dragoon  was  in  the  act  of  picking  his  let  ih 
when  he  lir-t  >aw  him  ;  lie  wa-  now  deliberately  drawing  out  his 
sabre.  1 'orgy's  glance  ::t  hi-  sword,  and  a  slight  step  backward, 
moved  the  Scotchman  to  Mi-peel  him  of  llight  ;  to  prevent  which, 
the  latter  rushed  directly  upon  him,  his  weapon  now  flourishing 
in  air. 

The  bulk   of    Ponry,   the   nearness  of    the    enemy,    and    tip 

it  which   hi  -i-d    lay,  forbade  the   hope  of  hi- 

ermg  it   in   season    for  his  defence,    and    as   the  dra;:"on   darted   on 
him,   obeying  a   first,    impulse,   our   epicure    raised    the    pot    by  the 
hangers,   with    his    left  hand,   caught   one  of    its    still    bunii- 
in  the  right,  and,  with  a  desperate  whirl,  sent  tho  entire  contents 


PORG1     ri;«\  i  g    |.,,i-\  MISS,   o»  LT. 


">'    th.  --aldim:    hot.    dire,  tly    into    il,-  his   assail 

ant. 

The  ially  awful  and    instantaneous.     Tin-  di 

dropped  the  uplifted   .sabre,  and   set    up   tin-  wildest   yell   «.f 
while    lie  danced  about  as  if  under   the    direct   >pe]N  of   Saint   Vi- 
I  he  hominy  stuck  to  hi-  fan-  and  neck   like  a  pla-ter,  and  the 
effort     to    remove     it    with    his    hands,    only     tore    a\\ay     11, 
witli    it.     Porgy  was    disposal    to     fallow     up    his   success;    and. 
knocking  the   feilo\v  on  the  head  with  the  empty  \  .1  p,-r- 

formance  which  wa<  totally  univsi.sted.  In  the  a-ony  of  the  dra 
1:0011.  his  approach  for  his  imrin.se  was  totally  un>een.  Down  he- 
rolled,  under  the  wild  *l,..<-k  «»f  llie  iron  krlll.-;  and  out 

i'ulatins:    himxlf   with    his    narrov-  i    upon    ihe 

pan.  not   di-po-ed  to   |QM  his  bacon  as  well  M  ,•!.  and 

was  \\  h.-eli!iur  »••  m-ike  off  for  the  \\oods.  \\heii  another  d; 
his  appearance  on  the  brow  ot   the  hill,  inakin.ir  swift   tracks  in  pur 
suit. 

I>      —ii  that   fellow.  Lance,  'muttered    I'oi-y   to   hiin.M-li",    'he 
lias  left  me  t..  1-e  butchered:  " 

H     jHihered  up  his  sword,  as  a   point    of   honor.  l)iit   still  held  a 

[pe  upon  the  fr\  in-  pan.     Th.-iv  was  but  one  ilra.i:«'«.n  in 
and  if  he  could  draw  him  \  ct  farther  into  the  woods,  the  noise  of  the 
strife  would  probably  alarm  no  other      that  i-.  if  the  howlin-s  of  the 

n  the  alarm  already. 

()ur  (pi.   .  know,  had   little  speed  of  foot,  and  witli  his 

im|M-dimeir  1  and   frying  pan   in   his  hands,   h,-  ma,: 

awkward  headway.     The   pur-iiin-  MrapM.n  gained  upon  him;  and 
:y  l»n-parinir  to  \\heel  about   for  the  purpose  of  de- 
feiis,..  when  his  feet  tripped  in  .st,,,ie  roots  that  ran  a'.  .rface, 

and  over  he  went,  hradlon-.  the  content*  of  the  frying-pan  tlyi 
ward  in  all  directions.      In  another  moment,  and  when  only  half  re 
g—  00  his  knees  still,  and  painfully  risin.i:  t..  his  fet-t  —  the 

lbOT«  him 

"  Surrender,  ye.  d  --  d   ribbel.  or    I   shorten    you   by   the  shoul 
d'Ts." 

Furious  at  the  loss  of  both  meat  and  bread,  Porgy  roan^l  ...it  his 
defiance. 

"Surrender   :  —  d:     I),.   I    l,,,,k   like  th.-   man  to  rr 


38S  K  A  TIT  AIM  NT:    WAI 

to  such  a  sawney  as  you?     Do  your  best,  barclegs,  and   s. -e   \\liat 
you'll  make  of  it:  " 

With  unexpected  agility,  unable  to  rise,  he  rolled  over  at  these 
Words,  and  now  lay  upon  his  back,  his  sword  thrust  upward,  and 
prepared  to  parry  that  of  the  assailant,  after  a  new  fashion  of  de 
fence.  In  this  situation,  no  defence  could  well  be  made.  The  exhi 
bition  was,  in  fact,  rather  ridiculous  than  otherwise.  The  abdo 
men  of  Porgy  rose  up  like  a  mountain,  seeming  to  invite  the 
attack.  The  dragoon,  however,  did  not  appear  in  §66  anything 
amusing  in  the  spectacle.  He  showed  himself  in  sober  earnest. 
His  brother  soldier  groaned  hideously  at  this  moment,  and  he 
had  no  reason  to  doubt  that  his  hurts  were  mortal.  He  strad 
dled  the  prostrate  Porgy,  and,  in  reply  to  his  defiance,  pivpared 
to  strike  with  his  broad  claymore  at  the  head  of  the.  epicure. 
His  sabre  was  thrown  up,  that  of  Porgy  thrown  out  to  receive  it. 
when,  suddenly,  the  dragoon  dropped  lifeless  upon  our  partisan,  and 
the  next  instant  the  report  of  a  rifle  was  heard  from  the  neighboring 
wood. 

"  Ah!  "  cried  Porgy,  throwing  off  the  incumbent  body  of  his  as 
sailant,  "  that  dog  Lance;  he  has  not  abandoned  me;  and  I  should 
have  known  that  he  never  would.  The  rascal  —  how  I  love 
him!  " 

The  next  moment  Lance  Frampton  rushed  in. 

"  l"p,  lieutenant,  we  have  not  a  moment  to  lose.     That  shot  will 
bring  all  the  dragoons  down  upon  us,  and  we  don't  know  how  nigh 
they  arc.     The  horses  arc  ready,  not  thirty  yards  off.      They've  n-tr.l 
well  and  eaten,  and  we  can  soon  leave  these  heavy  English  dr. 
hind  us." 

"  You're  a  lad  among  a  thousand!  I  love  you,  Lance,  by  all  that's 
an"«-<-ti..iiatr!  " 

Then,  as  he  bu-tled  up,  with  Frampton's  help,  seeing  the  scatter.  .1 
:M!  bacon  strewed  upon  the  ground,  he  fairly  groaned  aloud  in 
the  tribulation  of  his  spirit. 

"I    mii'-t    !">«•    my   dinner   after   all!     And    that    hominy  Wl 
good    a   pot  as   was   ever   boiled.     It  served    a   purpose,    however; 
never,  in   fact,  boy,  did   pot   of   hominy   do   such   good  service    he- 
fore.  " 

Hut    there   was   no   time    for   trilling.     This  was  said  while  our 


i  v.  389 


corpulent  protV-snr,  hurrying  <>1T  under  the  uMiidar  .  usign, 

was  niukinir  sueh  headway  as.  in   1  -,-•  was  (juite  new  t<»  liis 

:  lh  in  the  saddle,  and  in  full  retreat,  when 

the  Britisli  trumpets.  M,  muling  the  alarm,  faintly  echoed  thromrh  the 

Pursuit  was  fruitless. 


KATHAHlNh    \VAJ 


CHAPTER   XLII. 

TUTTING    THK    CARDS. 

THK  night  appointed  for  the  great  ball  of  Colonel  Cruden  at 
length  came  round,  and  at  a  tolerably  early  hour  in  the  evening 
—  for  great  parties,  in  that  day,  convened  some  hours  sooner 
than  at  present  —  the  quests  began  to  crowd  the  spaeiou*. 
well-known  mansion  of  General  Pinckney,  on  East  Bay.  This 
venerable  mid  stately  dwelling  still  stands,  one  of  the  many  me 
morials  which  the  city  of  Charleston  has  to  show,  in  proof  of  the 
troubles  and  changing  scenes  of  that  period  of  revolution.  As 
we  have  already  mentioned,  it  had  fallen  to  the  lot  of  Colonel 
Cruden,  who  fondly  anticipated  such  a  permanence  of  title  as  no 
caprices  of  revolution  could  disturb.  The  dwelling,  on  the  occa 
sion  referred  to,  was  splendidly  illuminated  "from  minaret  t« 
porch."  The  spacious  gardens  were  draped  with  lights,  which 
were  multiplied  and  reflected  a  thousand  times  at  the  extn  i 
of  each  avenue,  from  pyramidal  lustres  of  shining  steel,  bayonets, 
burnished  muskets,  and  sabres  grouped  in  stars  ami  en-scents. 

The  fi'h'  was  the  great  display  of  the  season.  It  was  attend- 
»d.  accordingly,  b;  all  who  felt  a  becoming  loyalty,  arid  by 
iiany  who  only  sought  to  display  it.  Th.-iv  wi-  fyHiprs, 
sides,  whom  policy,  or  the  love  of  pleasure,  drew  to  the  a^eiii- 
Mage,  but  who  did  not  sympathi/e  with  the  common  sentiment 
?f  the  company.  In  the  former  category,  hither  also  came  Mrs 
Singleton  and  Katharine  Walton,  govrrned.  in  doing  so.  by  ton- 
aiderations  of  prudence,  which  were  greatly  in  conflict  with 
ever)'  political  and  social  sentiment  which  tilled  their  bosoms 
They  were  not  without  countenance  from  others,  their  f'iendi 
and  relations.  Witty  and  mischievors  a^  fv«-r.  Mry 


UK    -   \  ttDS, 

was  the  life  of  the  circle  whitln  r  >he  \\rnt.  and  made  merry  with 

flu  speetade  \\liicli  >he  had  not  the  stoici-m  to  avuid. 

Balfour  quickly  attached  hirn-elf  to   Katharine   Walton,  in  spite 
«-f   the  angry   gla;,  ipon    them    Loth    hy    l,t    /;,/;,     // 

who    looked    her    lovclie-t    that     night,    and    seemingly    looked     JM 
vain.      Balfour  was  in  the  I»e-t  spirits,  though  it   mu  remarked   that 
the   sulxlued    and    grave    feaiuivs    of     Katharine   promi-ed    him    no 
-  -incut.     She  had  evidently  come  with   the  determination  to 
endure  pav-ivdy  a  eertain  decree  of  annoyance  in  re-ard  to   certain 
leading  necessities;   and  her  air  was  that  of  a  re-igimtion,  where 
will,    though    Mitliciently    deterrniued.    was   yet    held    in    alx-yam-r. 
H.T    jKisviveness    ,,f    i.-mprr    d.^ided     Halfour       He    re-anled    h,.r 
D  as  an  indication  in  his  favor.  \vh<  :  priv- 

ilr-rf-s  were  to  l>e  inijtlore.!  ;  aixl  his  satisfaction  in  this  nm\icti..n 
almost  rendered  hj,n  ^.-tllant.      It  was  in   the  mi.Kt  of   l,js  attenii 
pr..iiu-nailin.ir    DIM    of    the    srvrral     tlironired    apartnn-nt^.    that     he 
was   passed    by   th,     Harvey.     She  was  \\alkini:  with    .Major    S1 
caught  the  eye  of  Halfour.  and  her  eye  Hashed  with    incn 
Af    thej     pMMd   sl<.\\ly.    restrained    hy   th. 
him- 

..    j^    :. 

'•  Why  should  it  bi 

"Who  i^  not    /'"/•    me    i  me'  "    She   answered    through 

closed     teeth.        '  \\'  loiiel     Halfourl  —  I     alway.s     told 

you    that    your   da:  |      i    -hall    pay  for  ail 

thi-!  " 

He  laughed     -  full  in  her  face  —  he  laughed;  and  the  next  moment 
the  .  1  them.      She  re-aided   hi-  retn  ating  form  hut  a 

moment,  and  with  a  glance  full  of  malignant  pawions  that  might 
ha\e  taught  .\en  a  Imldrr  Iiatun-thail  Halfour  that  her  threat  WU 
something  to  !  Bui  he  \va>  one  of  tho-e  men  whom  jr<X)d 

su<-(  (  ss  and  prosjxTity  n.  '  id  of  all  prudei.<  •        l(.    \\  as  <juit«- 

loomuchenan  •'harim-lo  ;ing» 

of  vexation,  disapjxiintmtnt.  batlled  lo\,  :,  the  bosom  of  his 

form-r  mistress. 

"  What     had    you     to    whi-pei      -,,    lovingly    to    Halfour 
manded    Stock     of    hi-    comjianion.      "  It     Defined     to    amuse    him 
wondrou-: , 


KA  THAU  INK    \\'Ai*\\.X. 

"  I  dn!  whisper  him  lovingly,  and  that  is  reason  good  wky  i 
ahoultl  not  tell  you  what  was  spoken,  lie  is  a  person  «o  he 
loved,  is  he  not?"  She  did  not  wait  tor  the  answer,  but  contin 
ued  thus  —  "But  might  he  not  have  shown  a  much  better  taste 
i:i  the  selection  of  his  new  flame?  She  positively  is  not  even 
^ood  looking." 

"  Is  it  possible  you  think  so  ?"  asked  Stock  curiously  — "  You 
mee  thought  otherwise." 

44  Yes,  in  truth  !  —  But  such  a  stiff,  starched,  cold,  no-meaning 
aort  of  person  as  it  is  now,  as  if  there  were  no  more  blood  in  her 
veins  than  in  those  of  an  icicle  —  is  enough  to  change  my  opin 
ion.  And  they  speak  of  her  as  a  very  paragon  of  virtue,  a  sort 
of  Una,  as  if  i!  were  any  merit  in  ice  not  to  burn." 

"  My  dear  Harvey  :  let  me.  difTer  with  you !  You  are  u 
beauty  in  your  way  —  indeed,  very  brilliant  and  very  beautiful ; 
but,  by  Jove,  don't  deny  that  the  Walton  is  a  beauty  also.  You, 
at  least,  are  bound  not  to  deny  it." 

"  Why,  indeed  !" 

"  From  policy  !  Utter  such  an  opinion  to  other  ears  thaL 
aine,  and  you  will  be  set  down  as  envious  of  a  rival,  and  trem 
bling  for  the  loss  of  empire.  Now,  Harvey,  believe  me,  ijvn  can 
well  afford  to  give  the  Walton  as  much  credit  as  anybody  else." 

"Look  you,  Stock,  I  don't  care  that"  (snapping  her  fingers) 
"for  anybody's  opinion.  I  repeat  that  she  is  positively  homely." 

44  Now,  my  dear  child,  don't  be  wilful;  yon  must  not  say  BO, 
for  another  and  a  better  reason.  People,  then,  will  be  quite  as 
apt  to  decry  your  lack  of  taste  as  of  generosity  !  But  let  us  on  ! 
I  have  a  sneaking  notion  that  a  tumbler  of  punch  will  be  par 
ticularly  grateful  at  this  moment." 

They  passed  into  the  adjoining  apartment ;  while,  pursuing 
another  route,  Katharine  Walton  —  never  dreaming  that  sh»« 
formed  the  subject  of  Miss  Harvey's  criticism  —  passed  into  a; 
opposite  room,  still  attended  by  Balfour.  Let  us  follow  Stock 
and  his  companion. 

That  rousing  howls  of  punch  should  be  conspicuous  objects  at 
a  mixed  party  of  males  and  females,  in  that  day,  will  something 
shock  the  sensibilities  of  ours.  Vet  the  fact  is  not  to  be  denied 
Major  Stock  made  his  way  with  the  lair  Harvey  into  the  midft 


fttt 

*1  n  tit    ie  HUTOUnuillg  a  table  upon  Tvh.ch    stood    i  richly  enain- 

••!  ed  V;IM».  holding  several  gallons  <>t'  (!..  In 

£<  odly-M/ed    nips   of  filagree:!  china.  tlic  liijii'f.    was  served  .>ut. 
K.lling  one   of  tlu-   smallest    of  these   for   his  rmiij»aiii 
yiovided  himself  with   another  of  BIOTC    ample  di:: 

ridcnce  of  the  host  always  remembering  that  the  capacity 

.•idurance  was  much   greater  in  some   ])ersoii8  than   in   nth- 
Thu>  anne<l,  the  two  made  their  wav  to  one  of  the  ample 
.  at  which  stood  —  the  centre  ol'  a    d«-  -up  —  tlu 

!y  Mary   Ronpell,  aii"t!ier   of  the    h»\ 

«••!'  whom  we  have  ali'ead\-  s])nken.      She    half'  sat  iip-M: 
half  reclined   against    the   open  window,  tl  ••?'  whi«-ii. 

happened,    was    sustained    hy    a    dra..  ;    the    hntton 

whic-h  usually  supported  it,  ha\  .  i-mki-n    «ilV  durin-   tin 


•  ugh  and  somewhat  awkward  -allant       11 

n-ived  in  some  way  to  jostle  the  .sahre.  and  (dl.owed  it  out  o! 
place.      T!ie    beavj    >a>h    f(dl    upon    'In-   v.i>t    »\'   M  I'fll. 

who  screamed  violently,  and  under  lie   • 
hurt,  i'ainte  1.      (I  re;:t  was  the  confu>:<ui.      The    -ro\v«l    I 

ihe    plart 
Ot  Hie  lad\    was,  for  the    time.    ::    j     iteililc.       In    rli.  ;:c\  . 

tiy  excited,  and  lief-u-e   any  one   cmilil   in:. 
lent  iiiajiM-.  .sei/ing  upon   the    ni.iii:ii!»rli    l-owl   ol    j.ui.cii.  inconfi 

!v  dix-hai^eil  its  voluiniu«»u-  -.  with    admii..' 

•     |.         \\"-|.      .:         ' 

If  only    t         I  ..    ;it    the   condition  in  which 

«l:e  found  he 

•  tl  that   \  .     J 

»|    courtiers        A  'it    of'  the 

cinde,  and,   •  "Vcred,  into   1  .  \~ 

!"ippose,  slu-  ne\i  id  ho  escape  tha* 

;  i^.      Harry's   mu-  '  v  put  ;:, 

;-|'in':-»iip. 

•    I  la!    ha!  ha!    decidedly  the   hi-ft  tiling  that   I  e\cr  !:«• 
ill  iii>    life,"  said    M'Mahon,  1  ic.-.ki;]^    into    t!  iiicL 

Mn,  kivington  W.HK  the  centre,     ••  My  friend,  N  >nry.  is  • 

»   nderfu1  geriiua      ilerc  it 


394  KATHARINH  WALTON. 

And  he  repeated  :  — 

"When  fair  Koupell  lay  fainting  in  her  pain. 
'Ohl    what,'  cries  all,  'will  bring  her  to  again  J1 
'What!  what!'  says  Stock,  'but  punch  —  a  draught  divin*  . 
'Twill  ease  her  pain — it  a!  ways  conquered  mine!"* 

The  company  cheered  and  applauded. 

"But  that's  not  all,"  continued  M'Mahon.     "My  friend.  M 
or  Barry  had  another  arrow  in  his  quiver.     Listen  to  this  -- 

"Stock,  to  the  la«lv  dearest  to  his  brea>t, 
Gave  the  sweet  beverage  that  lie  loved  the  l»e.-l, 
Yet  mourned  the  fault  committed  i"  his  haste, 
Such  goodly  physic  doomed  to  such  a  \vasU', 
And  prays  his  friends,  should  fainting  be  his  case. 
They'll  fill  his  throat  and  leave  unsoused  !<is  face; 
A  natural  error  'twa*,  that  what  is  good, 
Taken  int.-rnally  for  flc-sh  and  blood, 
More  grateful,  too,  than  anv  dose  beside, 
Should  still  be  good  externally  applied."* 

The  laugh  was  too  great  for  Stock  to  withstand.  He  disap 
peared  hy  the  hack  stairs,  and  found  his  way  alone  into  the 
garden,  which,  like  the  dwelling,  was  brilliantly  illmninnted 
But  he  was  followed  hy  the  merry  crew  whom  he  thought  to 
haffle,  and,  unequal  to  the  encounter  with  them,  lie  darted  once 
more  into  the  dwelling,  and  hurriedly  made  his  way  through 
the  lohhy  and  into  the  front  portico,  resolved  on  (light  to  hie 
own  lodgings.  But  he  was  prevented.  At  that  nunnent  rode 
up  a  couple  of  officers,  who  proved  to  be  Mad  Archy  Campbell 
and  one  of  his  lieutenants. 

44  You,  Stock  ("  asked  Campbell. 

"Yes,  what  they've  left  of  me!     I've   been  doing  \  d «) 

atnpid  thing,  and  shall  never  hear  the  end  of  it." 

"  Well,"  said  Campbell.  "  it  will  keep,  then  ;  and  I  will  p«  r 
mit  myself  to  hear  it  another  time.  I  need  you,  now.  (Jo  Mini 
bring  Balfour  out  into  the  garden.  I've  news  for  him  —  mat 
t'.-rs  which  must  be  seen  to  at  once." 

"Get  in  yourself,  then,  and  see  him." 

'  Nay,  that's   impossible.       I'm  covered  with    mud    and    dust, 

•  TLtt  :'r.<:id»-:it  i«ally  oe--. ».*.*•!  to  Mit-a  K.nij-e.ll  at  the  ball  in  question. 


CTJTT1  JWi     i  Ml-    '   '  Uf>-. 

and  something  of  ->tain  than  citlior.      I'vo  had  a  sharp 

'inish.  and  have  brought  in  certain  prisoners." 

••  Have  you  saved  Williamson  '." 

"  Ye.s  ;    hut  take  my  message,  and    laugh    at  the  laughe 
suppose  it's  no  one  worse  tlian  Barry  " 

"  D — n  him  for  the  meaix-st  of  all  doggretlfU!"  was  the  surh 
answer,  while    the    major    w/is   disappearing.      A    groom,    tn, 
while,  took  rampheH'*  horse  and  he,  glided  through    the  wicket 
gate  into  the  garden. 

Halfour   very  unwillingly    left  the    .-ide  of  Katharine  Walton, 
at  the    instance  of  Major  Stock;     hut  the    revelations  of  Camp- 
heli  in  the  garden    reconciled  him  to  the  interruption  of 
,ed  to  promise  him  every  encouragement. 
W.-.lton  here,  and  my  prisoner  f      Then  .<>/«   i«,  in  my  j 
But  what  did  you  say  of  Proctor  ?" 

Campbell,  with  a  gentlemanly  reluctance,  related  this  part  of 
his  history  ;    that    portion  of  it.  in    particular,  which    In 
rived  from  the  revelations  of  the  tieache.  ug-man. 

"  Knough  !    enough  !"  exclaimed   Ball'our,  "  an-1  In  .  ' 
h;    !     Campbell,    you  are  a  hird  of  hright  omen.      What  a  ! 
of  your  net  this  has  heen  !" 

Cruden    was   now  summoned    to  Terence  ; 

"  lf  is  all  as  I  told    you,  Cruden.     The    n  ! 

Procter.      II«  has  g"ne  over  to  the  iehel>.  u  .i>  \  I;NV  to 
ture  of  Williamson,    privately    whi>pen-d    his  ci-uusels    int- 
ear  of  Walton,  when  the\  illy  tni  .1  f--r 

his  life,  and  haH  ii'»w  heen  rajitured  with  Wahon.  '! 
the  very  act.  Nmhing  now  can  s;ive  him.  He  mu*>: 
for  his  life." 

"  I  know  not  that,  Half 

"  I  know  you  h.ite  him  ;    hut  he  must  have  fair  play.      The 
mu.st  lie  hail.  <>!    course  ;     In-  himself  will  de-vie  it  ;     hut    i 
for  my  sake,  you  will  Mihject  him  to  no  in.lig; 

44  He  in  under  guard  ;    he  ought  to  U«  in  cu>tody." 

"No!     no!     1   will  he  hi.s    surety  that    he  will    not    wck 
tape  " 

"  Beware!   you  undertake  t«»o  much." 

*•  I  would  undertake   nothins   t   1   ''o-il  !   avoid  it      Hut   he  i* 


K  A 1 H AIUXK    V,  A  i A  i  •  N  . 

my  sister's  child,  Uallour,  and  1    must  not  abandon  him    u,thout 
an  effort." 

"  Make  your  effort,  but  866  that  it  docs  not  involve  yon  iu 
any  embarrassments  with  our  superiors;  particularly  a*  y..u 
will  scarcely  serve  him,  however  nnu-li  yon  may  sacrifice  voiir- 
sclf.  But  to  another  matter.  Yon  perceive  that  this  capture  «,f 
\Valton  places  Katharine  completely  in  my  p,,wer.  You  uill 
i"t  forego  any  opportunity  of  impressing  this  upon  her." 

"Truly  not:   hut  what  is  the  process?" 

"  We  shall   try  him  for   his  life, -if  need  he.  as  a  traitor  to  hi* 
majesty's  cause,  and  a  spy  ,,f  the  enemy.      For  that  matt,-!, 
'.•ording  to   Uawdon's  maxim,  we  need    not  try  him  at  all.      We 
have,  only  to  identify  his  person,  and    hang  him   to    the    neajest 

"  It  certainly  is  a  most  fortunate,  event." 

"  Yes,  indeed!      It  makes    her   mine,  if  there    had    been    any 
doubt  about  it  before..      1  am  now  the  master  of  her  fate  !" 

They  left  the  garden  together,  having  discussed  sundry  other 
matters  in  detail,  which  need  not  concern  us.  Scarcely  had 
they  gone,  \\lien  Moll  ILirvey  rose  from  the  deep  thicket  of  a 
bower,  where  she  had  been  crouching,  and  where  .she  had  heard 
v  syllable..  Her  features  were,  greatly  inflamed,  and  she 
spoke  in  a  brief  soliloquy,  but  with  accents  of  concentrated  bit 
terness. 

"  So!   thus  the  land  lies,  Signior  N.-sbitt  Halfonr!   and  thus  1 
fim  to  be  sacrilicrd  !      Hut  we  shall  se.e  !      There  shall  be  ^Moth- 
er   party  to  thi;    game,  or    the,  soul  of  woman    never    knew    th«> 
•in  of  revenge,  and  nevi-r  had  the  courage  to  enjoy  it       \\\ 
ohall  see  ;     yon    may  >hnthV    the :  cards  after   your  own   fflhliiou 
.   will  cut  tluim  after  mine." 


OF 


OH  A  1'TKR    X  LI  II. 

BALFOIK    TKir.MI'lls. 

'l,aa>    twenty    iiiinntcs   after    tlii.s    con .  ersation,    Mr> 
jleton  liuiri"«l  Katharine  Walton    a\vay  from    tl 
though  withon'  j^'ivin^  her  the  re  bicb  promi'' 

what  precipitate  withdrawal.      .-'  • 

>ituation  BI    p'/ivary.      Slu-  M 

,  \vliic-li  had  lu-cii  • 
pl. ell  ;     tin-    ]'  -.in,    hen 

.  with  information  as  their  tniij> 
Hnli'our,  it  may  he  nn-ntioncd,  hail  h  : 
diatcly  after  tin-    «  |.nrt»-d.      lie  with.' 

jilu'll  ;     I!M»  i-iiTU!' 
diatf  ahscncc.      ("ruden  rcturh.    . 
wliat  graver  than      ,  a  without    Li-tray: 

which    might    can-'  .firm    an 

not  oj»jiose  tin-  'irjiarttin-  of   Kathni  D,  and  imnu"! 

ly  ji'Tci'ivcd.  t'ntm  the  i-nunteijauee  of  Mr.'.    •" 

in  jir.sse.vsion  of  tl 

Katharine  tor  the  first  time,  remarked    in  the  face  of  tL< 
A  stern  and  melancholy  gravity,  uhich  struck    her  as   - 

.aething  evil. 

"  You  have   heard   Bomotliin^  —  s«.in«-thinj;   th  .' 
What  is  it  ?" 

"  I  hare  hcKrd  son.  iy  child,  ami   somethii.. 

ously  concerns  your  peace  of  mind.      Kaiha: 
have  need  of  all  your  courap-.      Kea«l    that  ;    your   father 
the  hands  of  tin-  enen. 

Katharine  clasped  her  hai.d-.  t.-^etl..  A  ith  u 

vacancy  of  look  in  the  lace  of  <.  .an. 


398  KATHUUNE  WALTON. 

"God  be  merciful!"  was  her  only  exclamation,  as  she  took 
the  little  billet,  which  hail  been  brought  her  by  the  boy  George 
Spidell,  written  by  old  Tom  Singleton,  and  which,  in  a  single 
sentence,  contained  the  whole  painful  information. 

"  He  is  in  the  provost  ;"  such  was  the  fact  contained  in  tin 
note.  "  Oh  !  madam,  you  will  go  with  me  at  once." 

"  It  is  midnight,  Katharine.'* 

"Day  and  night  are  the  same;"  answered  the  other  vehe 
mently.  "  He  is  in  bonds  and  shall  I  sleep  —  in  sorrow  and  hn 
miliation  —  perhaps,  covered  with  wounds,  and  shall  I  not  /-on 
sole  and  minister  to  him  ?" 

"  1  doubt  if  they  will  give  us  admission  at  this  hour." 

"  Oh  !  madam,  no  doubts,  unless  you  would  drive  me  mad 
How  can  they  deny  the  father  to  the  child  ?" 

"  We  shall  need  to  see  Balfour  hrst,  to  obtain  permission." 

"  Is  this  necessary  ?" 

"  I  take  that  for  granted.  They  would  scarcely  admit  us  At 
any  hour  without  this  permission." 

"  Then  let  us  go  to  him  at  once." 

"  It  might  be  more  prudent  to  wait  till  morning;  but  be  it  a§ 
you  say.  The  carriage  is  not  yet  put  up.  We  can  have  i< 
ready  in  a  moment." 

A  few  moments  sufficed  for  this,  and  the  two  ladies  r/ere  driv 
en  at  once  to  Balfour's  quarters.  Two  sentries  guarded  the  en 
trance,  who  gave  surly  answers  to  their  application  to  see  th«j 
commandant.  They  were  denied,  and  told  that  he  was  absent. 
He  had  not  returned  from  Cruden's  party.  Hack  to  Crudeii'e 
the  carriage  was  driven.  There  the  merriment  still  continued  ; 
gay  crowds  were  passing  and  repassing,  in  quick  succession,  lie 
neath  the  shining  chandeliers  and  cressets.  The  garden 
n  >w,  also,  full  of  crowds.  The  sight  of  all  this  gayety 
to  sicken  Katharine. 

1  Ask  quickly,  quickly  if  you  please." 

Oruden  was  sent  for,  and  came  out  to  the  carriage. 

4  The  commandant,  is  he  here  still,  Colonel  Cruden  ?" 
M  He  is  not,  madam  ;   he  left  ns  nearly  an  hmr  agA»,  on  leceiv 
ing  some  important  intelligence." 

•*  You  know  it  then,  fir," exclaimed  Katharine — "  my  father  r 


••  J  have  been  inlonin  >\  alt-tn.  ' 

1  where  shall  \vo  fiml  ('olonel   Hal  tour  ?"  a^ked  tin 
•U'l  impatiently. 

"  Must  prohaldv  at  his  own  house." 
'    We  have  born  there.      lie  is  not  there." 

"Then  I  know  not,  unless  at  the  prov.^t.      Hut   would  it    n<  i 
he  well  to  wait  lill  morninjr,  la«i 

"Wait!    wait.      How    can   1    wait:     ami  he  a    prisoner?  —   in) 
father  in  bonds  —  perhaps  woumied.  ill  and  sufleri; 

"Nay,  I  ran    relieve    you  mi    that  score.      Vonr    lathes 
hurt.      He  is  not  sirk,  he    ha>  lei-eived    no  wounds,  and.   except 
iii£  a  tew  bruises,  he  has  no  cau>e  of    stifle* 

"  1    mn-;     BCfl    him,    nevei  t  hele>  ide.      <  Mi  ' 

madam,  will  von  let  them  drive  to  the  pro\ 

"  Surely,  my  rhild,  we  w';l!   _-.  thither;1'  .'ii'd  t  In-  r.-.rria'j-  .  u  .•  - 
driven  off  arri)i(lniLrly.      They  reaehed  the  guarded    . 

."oiiiv  editire    at   the    ea>;(-ii,  <•  .::ri;.  -reel  — 

"where    m>w    the    merrhants    RiOKl  :«•" — ;n: 

t  to  another  disap])ointment.      Haltou: 
rould  they  iditain  dirertion  win-re  to  find  him. 

"  Hut  you  will  sutler    me  (..  Bee    my  father,  -ir  Katlia 

rme  to    the  otiirer  on  duty,  Mtd  who    treateil  the    lad;. 

:nlly. 

"  1  am  -  Walton,  that   1  am  not  permitted." 

11  What  !    not  permit  the  rhild  to  see  the  lad  - 
"  It  would  pve    me  pleasure  to  n.u  :  '  -u,  il    thii 

vere  puhsiiili'  ;     l>ut  the  roinmandant    h;;s  strirtl;. 
ih  •  piisoner  is  to  be  seen  by  iiol 

"Ah!    he  ha>    i-eeii    here,  tl-  t    exclaimed    \\ii!i 

li  iful  !      It    is    his    humanity    that    wrotlhl    not 

;i\i-  ;iie  eve>  of' the  daughter  Ixdiold  the  chains  about  ti  • 
.!    the  lather." 

"  Your   father  is  not    in    chains.  Mi—    \\   dt«»n  ;     lie 
guarded,  but  subjected  to   m>    indignities.      Col«>nel    H 
said  nothing    about  exidudinLT   you    in    partirnlar.      H 
commanded    that  rmlmtlti   shall  \  e    snt*. 
unless  with  his  permit.      I    presume    f!  11  tin  i    : 

^ulty  iu  obtaining  this  permit  during  proper  hours,  in  <la\ 


H  \IM\I:   \V.\I.TM\. 

"Then  we  mu.si  wait,  1  suppose  ;  and  yet,  my  dear  madam, 
if  you  would  consent  once  more  to  drive  to  the  commandant'? 
quart* 

"  Cheerfully,  my  dear  child  ;   cheerfully." 

"Thank  you,  thank  you,"  cried  the    maiden   eagerly,  the  big 
-  rolling  from  her  eyes,  and  falling  rapidly  upon    her  hands, 
which  were  now  clasped  upon  her  knees.      A  few   moments  suf 
ficed  to  bring  them    once  more  to    Balfour's   dwelling,  which,  as 
before  described,  was  that  fine  old    mansion  at  the   loot  of  Kin«: 
street,  now   in  the    possession  of  the  Pringle    family.      The  visit 
again    fruitless.      The   commandant    had    not  yet    returned. 
They    received    the   same    answer  as  hel'ore.      In  silent    despair, 
Katharine  gave  up  the  effort  for  the  night. 

"  We.  must  wait  till  morning,  my  child,"  said  Mrs.  Singleton. 
She  was  answered  hy  an  hysterical  sobhing,  which  lasted  pain 
fully,  for  several  minutes,  to  the  great  anxiety  of  the  venerable 
widow.  A  free  flood  of  tears  at  length  came  to  the  relief  of  the 
sufferer,  and  she  appeared  patiently  to  resign  herself  to  a  disap 
pointment,  for  which  there  was  no  apparent  remedy.  The  par 
ties  reached  their  abode,  and  Katharine  retired  to  her  chamber, 
but  not  to  *leep.  The  rest  of  the  night,  indeed,  was  a  long 
vigil.  Slumber  never,  fora  moment,  visited  the  sad  eyes  of  that 
-ring  daughter,  and  as  soon  as  she  could  reasonably  insist 
upon  another  visit  to  the  commandant,  she  did  so.  p.ut  it 
no  pait  of  Balfonr's  policy  that  she  should  see  him  >/<•!.  He 
well  knew  that  her  excitement  would  be  intense,  and  that  she 
would  be  an  early  petitioner  for  his  indulgence.  Jle  determined 
.  oid  her. 

"  She  shall  feel  J //////  that  I  am  the  master  of  her  fate.  She 
shall  sue  for  the  smallest  privileges,  and  be  made  to  understand 
that  every  concession  must  have  its  price.  I  shall  concede 
nothing  too  (jiiickly.  She  shall  pay  well  for  every  favor." 

With  this  policy  he  kept  out.  of  her  way.  It  was  easy  to  do 
HO  ;  and,  hour  alter  hour  during  that  long  first  day  of  her  father's 
captivity,  did  she  haunt  every  abode  in  the  city  where  it  was 
pcssibh;  to  find  the  person  who  kept  the  keys  of  his  dungeon.  It 
was  only  at  the  close  of  the  day,  \\hpu  Halfour  well  knew  that 
tthe  was  half  disti aught,  that  lie  Hiliercd  himself  to  receive  het 


When    ne    (ii"l    s".  at    his    <jiia:t-  .  :i.  h^    on. 

nance    boded    no    favorable    auspice.       II. 

ing. 

Ml    WaltOIl,"    said    lie.   "  I'm-    tlif    first    time    Bfflce     ! 

:i  you,  do   I   regret  to  MM-  your  face." 
"Do  DO4   My,  do  not   l.-ok  thus,  ('"lonel  Halfour  ;    y«»u  will  m- 

that    1   should   ICC  my  father." 

"  1  know  nut  li.i\v   1  >hoidd  consent,  Mi-s  Walt.-n." 
"  N«>t  o'lisi-nt  —  not  sutler   the.    <lant,rlitei-  (,,  console    the 
in  his  honils  !" 

"  \Vere    t!u->e   siiupli*    i-oinls.  .Mis>  W.-.ltMH.  \vnv    h 

nary  ease " 

lie  |)au-e«l  with  wel'-Miuiied  ^ravi*  ^a 

"  What  mean  y»n.  ('..inirl   Haltoiir  .'" 

t  jiossihle  you  ui»  not   rcn.ciiil'er.  that   von 
hencl  J" 

"  Wliat    shouhl    1    reiiiemher  .'     «"  ihl     !    col 

1 

My  latlii-r  i>  a  jiri.soner.  taken  in  hattle,  tin-  victim  of  the  eh. 
of  war,  and  inuM  reniaiii    M  \    until   «-x 

(.ieiieral  Mar: 
I    have  no  doubt " 

1  lr  >hook  his  head  v>  I' 

>  Walton,  your    lather    is    not    Minj'i1. 
11.     IS  n  _ ..:     -         II  a  t'upm  e  ii.-n:    ]• . 
nation  of  a  emnju'teiit  trihunal,  a^am>t   \\lioinjudt:- 
stan 

"l>eath!       heath!      .lud^inent    of  death 
almost   1;«-itel\   ;   M  Colonel    Half'  :.   not   mean   tl 

do  u  i  are    iiu«d.  sir,  thus  t->  tnlie  with   tin 

daughter  !" 

"  1    have    found    li-      jdeasiiie    in    sj'eak:n_ 

which    you  \\ill    \<  lied    to    hear    tVom  other-.       I'-ut   1  can 

u«'t  .shrink  from  a  duty.  h»we\er  painful." 

"  Hut  you  will  stiller  n  ,.m  /" 

-K\en    this    would    !•«•    an    innul^i-nee.  which,   under    present 
vireum.staJiees,  1    shotti  .  •  iuctanti\  .  :       imps, 

make  mv.self  liable  to  mm  h  lejip-ach  in  -ioni^  so.      1  . 
government   is    in  '  an 


lU'J  KATU.MilNK    WAl.Io.V. 

insurrectionary  -  ul   \>-nk  \\iili.i.    ilus  i.iv,  that  a  conspn 

acy  has  been  for  some  time  on  foot,  and  that  Colonel  \Valt-u 
has  been  jirivy  to  the  secret  workings  of  this  nest  of  traitors 
My  duty  forbids  that  1  should  suffer  them  in  any  way  to  com 
mune  with  one  whoso,  boldness  and  daring  may  give  them  any 
counsel  or  encouragement." 

"  ( )h  !  C-.'.onel  K'llfoui,  I'm  no  conspirator!  I  will  promise 
you  to  take  no  part  with  any  traitors,  or  share  in  any  treason. 
It  is  the  child  that  socks  her  father,  to  console  with  him,  attend 
upon  him,  weeji  over  his  captivity,  and  succor  him  with  love  and 
duty  only.  I  -rive  you  the  word  of  one  who  has  never  wilfully 
spoken  falsely,  that  1  will  convoy  1:0  message  of  treason — that 
1  shall  in  no  way  partake  in  any  plots  of  any  conspirators." 

"Your  assurance.  Miss  Walton,  might  well  satisfy  mo.  as  a 
individual.  As  Ne.-hitt  Halfour.  my  dear  Miss  Walton,  it 
would  not  need  that  you  should  give  them.  Nay,  it  would  u»l 
need  that  you  should  ask  for  the  sympathy  and  favor  \\hich  niv 
heart  would  rejoice  to  offer  you  unasked.  Jtnt  1  am  not  permit 
ted  to  forgot  that  1  an.  bore  in  charge  of  my  sovereign1;-  interest. 
I  know  not  tin-  exfcnt  of  our  dang6T,  nor  the  decree  to  which 
thoso  conspirators  have  carried  their  designs.  Caution  become-, 
necessary  to  our  safety.  Distrust  of  all  is  now  a  duty  ;  and  yon 
ind  yours,  it  is  well  known,  aic  the  Ulldcviating  enemies  of  my 
lovereign." 

Mrs.  Singleton,  \\lio  had  said  little  before,  now  interposed. 

"Colonel  Halfour.  the  hostility  of  Katharine  Walton  and  her 
father,  to  say  nothing  of  myself  and  all  my  kindred,  has  been 
an  openly  avowed  one.  to  your  king  and  his  authority.  That  it 
has  been  always  thus  openly  avi»wni  should  be  a  suth'cient 
guaranty  for  the  assurance  that  we  make  yon  now,  that  Katha 
rine  Walton  will  not  abuse  the  privilege  she  solicits,  of  seeing 
and  being- with  her  father.  Her  claim,  indeed,  is  the  less  ques 
tionable,  since  you  proclaim  the  painful  and  perilous  situation  in 
which  he  stands.  The  policy,  real  or  pretended,  which  should 
deny  her  the  pi  Mime  of  conxdin^  him  in  his  dungeon,  would 
be  an  outrage  to  humanity." 

"  So  would  his  death,  madam,  under  a  lawful  judgment  ;  hut 
humanity  is  thus  outraged  daily  for  the,  maintenance  of  right 


BALPOOR   'lun'MiM,* 

»i.d   just  1   am   not  .          .  .  .rur  \  mil 

repioaidies.  however    little    I    max    shrink  at    tl  .'her  per- 

I   will    £,ant    your    petition  ;    preferring  to  inc.  ,    .ii.y  risk 

raiher  than  M-c  yon  >utVer  \\  here  1   have  tic  power  t»  prevent  it. 

rder  snail  he  made  out  that  you  shall  s"e  your  father." 

!    tliank  yon!    thank  you  !  —  Ami    shall  I  have  it  now?" 
K;it  hat  inc  asked  ca^erlv. 

"On    the    inMaiit  ;"    ami  with    the    word    he    hastened    to    the 
talde  and  \\  rote. 

"This  order,"  he  said,  will   secure  yon  admission  at  any  hour 
of  the  day,  between    nine    in    the    morning   and  six  in  the  fci 
noon.      You  \\'ill  have  Something  over  an  hour  in  which  to  spend 
\\ith  him  to-day." 

"()li!     tiiank>.    Colonel     Balfnur — helieve    me,    I     an, 
•rrateful." 

lie    smiled    \sith    a    peculiar   self-complacence,  \\  liich    did    not 
;e    the    0}*e«    't     Mi-    Singleton;    and    taking   the    extended 
hand  of  Katharine,  carried    it    to    his   lips,  liel'.ue  she  was  av 
of  his  pnrp-'-e.      She    hastily  uithdrew  it,  while  her  eh- 
d.'ned  with    shame    and    annoyance.      He    lan-hed  (jiiietly  K 
percei\ed  her  disquiet — a  low  sinister  chuckle  \\liich  mi^ht  i 
lieen  construe"!  to  say  —  "  You  are  coy  eii'Mi-h  no\\ ,  my  Lea 
hut  then-    shall    he  a  season  \\hich    shall    find    you  more  sn' 

"      Hut    his    lips   said    nothing    heyond    some    idle  M 
comte.sv  and  compliment,  and    as  the    ladies   j-iej.aicd  • 
he    ^ra\e    an    arm    to    each    and    assisted    them    to   the   can 
When    thev  had   whirled    auav,  he    nibbed    his   hands   t-^ct'ier 
c. \ulti 

A.  let  no    lurkini:   devil    at    my  elhow  dash    the   en; 
my  li;..-,  and    ininr  shall    he  a  draught   worthy  «.f   all  tin- 

<  »l\  mpllS  !        Let    her    lrlli-r  n. e.  and    the   I'.illn-:    lliOfl d'u'S   liy  the 

I'opc  '        Will    she   sutler   til  N  J  i«'i«l   on    ti 

conditions:  she  dare  imt  incur  the  u-ju-oai  h.  e\  en  it' she  had  not 
the  sti-.n^  attaidsment  for  her  father,  of  siilVennjj  him  to  p«-rish 
hv  a  shameful  death,  when  from  her  would 

|,j<    lijV>  ' — And    what    is    the    sacril;  tier,    indeed  !"— • 

He     passed    the    mirroi    with     -reat     COITI]  "h.lc     he 

this.—  "  S.-u-riticc.  indeed  !      She  will    peihap>    i.e   ivot    unwilling 


*<M  K  A  !  il  AKINK     \VAL10.V. 

to  find  an  exc, ..-.••  mr  a    necessity  which    gives    '»••     -.«c(».  a  good- 
looking  feilo.v  lor  her  lor  t 

"How  now/" — alou<!  —  io   yonng   Monckton,  who  suddenly 

entered  the,  apartment — "what  do  you  wish,  Monckton  /" 

".Major  1'rocfor,  sir,  was  here  repeatedly  to-day,  and  seemed 
very  urgent  t.»  MM-  you.  He  came,  at  last,  and  brought  this 
Vetter,  requesting  tliat  it  should  be  placed  in  your  hands  the 
tjioineiit  yon  came  in." 

"  Ha!      Well  !      Lay  it  down.      I'll  see  to  it." 

The  sc.-retary  disaj))ieared. 

"  Proctor,  i-h  !  Well  !  we  have  him,  too,  in  meshes  t<io  fast 
to  iie  h;. -ken  throu-h." 

II e  lead  the  ejiistle.  which,  as  we.  may  SU}>J»OM\  ^a\e  a  de 
tailed  account  of  1'i-Kctor's  captivity,  and  of  what  he  saw  while 
m  the  camp  of  the  partisans. 

"  1'shaw  !"  said  he,  "that  hird  can  never  rly  —  that  fish  can 
never  swim  —  that  story  can't  he  swallowed." 

He  was  interrupted  hy  the  entrance  of  Ouden. 

"  lialfuur."  said    the    latter,  "  I    ha\c    seen    1'roctor.      He    has 

heer.    to   UK he    lias    heeii    to   see   you   also,  a  do/en  times,  he 

.  '.>ut  without  finding  you.      He  explains  all  this  matter,  and 
very  satisfactorily." 

"I  have  his  explanation  here."  was  the  answer,  "  and  I'm 
sorry,  for  your  sake,  to  say,  that  there's  nothing  satisfactory 
a'iout  it.  JJis  revelations  are  all  stale.  He  makes  them  only 
i  In1  can't  help  himself;  when  he  km^vs  that  Williamson 
has  told  tin*  story,  and  ('ainphell  has  told  the  story,  ami  his  own 
fellow,  John,  has  told  the  story.  They  all  agree  in  most  par 
ticulars,  and  1'roctor  supplies  nothing  which  we  have  not  frmn 
another  quarter,  in  anticipation  of  his  account.  They  are  all 
hei-ire  him." 

14  Hut,  Haifonr,  that  is  not  his  fault;  he  sought  for  you  las 
night  and.  ;vpe;itedly  to-day." 

"  11  >u  idle.  (  'ruden  '  Camphell  sought  forme  last  night,  air! 
so  did  Williamson;  they  could  find  me.  Why  did  not  I'roctoi 
come  to  your  lr.»nse  in  search  of  me,  last  night  f" 

"  He  did  so,  and   von  were  gone." 

44  He  was  unfortunate;  Hit,  in  truth.  Ornden,  his  narrative  it 


K  M.I  M;  i<    !  ,;ii:\i!'H>. 

• .    . 

Look    at    tin-    tact-        He    lea-.  .1  of 

!  !:en    suspected,  ami    I    >ent    In-    iiia.M. 

.)»lm.  after   hiiii.      In-    loads  John    into   an    ainlm-h.  \\h"i»-   th* 

-  laid  up  r.eck  .  ;  '  •  Is,  hurried  acn<--  the   . \-ldrv  ami 

rto,  with    lii«:   If.  .-d   undor  the   belly  «>f  -i  h 

i   meanwl  lie*  witlj  and  pi^tuls  in  ; 

ides  in  I'uiMpauy  v/i;l;  tin-  ndtei  h'ader.-,  Walton  ami  ntl. 
.•u-tnally   takes    part    in    tin-  'ii»ns    which    tlicy  li«l<> 

•  !|n>Ti  the  fate  <>1   \Villi;iin<i»n." 

••  1  )<>es  William- 

t«»   it.      John,  the  .servant,  contr, 

-rer,  \;hen  fouiKi,  is   in   the    . 

•  -.IIMJI  Jind  undvi  no  iv>traint." 

•  .hit    1'rortor  explains  all  thib." 

;iw,  Ouden,  lease  it  to  the  criminal   to   *.xv.  nnd  ! 
.  xj:iain  awaj  the,   £<:llow.,.      ('..me   in  witi. 
HC«  all  the  allidavits." 


40G  KATHAKIXE    WALTOX. 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 

PRICE   OF   LIFE. 

PERMISSION  nad  no  sooner  been  granted  to  Katharine  Walton, 
than  she  flew  to  visit  her  father.  In  an  agony  of  tears  she  threw  her- 
self  into  liis  anus,  and,  for  a  long  time  no  words  werespoken  between 
them.  Colonel  Walton  \va-s  the  first  to  break  the  sih-nrc. 

"Nay,  my  child  !  Kate,  my  dear,  exercise  your  firmness.  There 
is  really  no  necessity  for  tears.  I  am  a  prise  mcr,  it  is  true.  1  am  in 
the  hands  of  the  enemy,  useless  to  my  country,  when  every  soldier  is 
needful  to  her  cause.  This  is  a  great  urievaiice,  I  confess;  but  I 
shall  be  exchanged  as  soon  as  our  people  shall  find  a  British  captive 
of  rank  equal  to  my  own." 

"But,  is  this  true,  my  father?  Is  it  certain  that  you  will  be  ex 
changed  V  Is  it  sure  that  you  will  be  regarded  only  a-  a  prisoner-of- 
war  ?  " 

"And  why  not?  Where  is  the  reason  to  think  otherwise,  mv 
child?" 

"Oh  !  if  you  were  sure  :  but " 

"But  what?  Wherefore  do  you  herftatft  1  Who  has  led  you  to 
suppose  that  such  will  not  be  the  Cft* 

"The  commandant.  Ualfour  '  lie  tells  me  that  you  are  to  be 
tried  as  a  fugitive  from  ju>li<-e  —  as  a  — 

•'  A<  :i  what,  my  child  ?     Speak   fearlessly." 

With  choking  acemts,  x]H-  answered  —  "  As  a  traitor  and  a  spy." 

"  Ha'" 

Walton's  brows  were  clouded  for  a  moment,  but  he  shook  off 
idden  feeling  which  had  oppressed  him,  and  answer,  d  : 


TH  r.   !'i;i<  i:  01   i. in:. 

"  It  was  base  and  unmanly  that  lie  sin  mid  seek  to  alarm  you  thus! 
He  has  sonu-   vicious  purpose  in  it.     Kven   were  it   true,  my  child, 
which  it  can  not  be,  he  should  have  said  nothing  of  the 
He  -hoiild  have  felt  how  cruel  was  such  a  statement  to  a  woman  and 

•  No,  no!     If  it  be  true,  my    father,  I    thank  him  that  he  ha- 
told  me  all.     Better  that  I   should    hear    the    whole  danger  at  the 
cutset.     But    you    tell    me    that    it    is    not   true.     You    are    sure  I 
You  know  ?     Do  not  you    deceive  me,  my  father.     Let  me  know 
all  the  danger,  that  we  may  labor  in  season  to  save  you  from 

people." 

\  nd  what  can  you  do,  my  daughter  ?  " 

"Oh  !  much  can  be  done  in  all  dangers,  by  love  and  courage. 

•  •n,  armed    with    a  roolute   will,  can    move    the    mountain. 

We  are  feeble,  I  know ;  I    know    that   I  am  good  for  little  ;  but 

you    have    friends   here.      There   are   wise   and    virtuous    citi/.ens 

here,    busy    always    day    and    night,    in    planning    measures    for 

ue    of    the    country.     What    they   can    do   for   you   I  can 

not  say  ;  but    they    will    strive    to  serve    you.    I    am    certain.     Do 

not  deceive  me,  therefore  ;  do   not   sutler   me   to  remain  in  blind 

ignorance  of  the  truth  until  the  bolt  falls,  and  it  is  too  late  to  save 

"  Be  of  good  cheer.  Kate.     I  >i>miss  these  apprehensions.     I  have 
.vithiiisr  vet  which  should  lead  me   to  apprehend   that   Halfour 
really  designs  what  you  mention.     I  hat   he  only  ai: 

ii  you  the  Lrreat  value  of   his  favor,  in   permitting  you  in 
vi-it  me.     Tin  rr  i-   no   denying    that   the   British   aiith<>: 
sutlieient  pretext  for   bringing   ">'•   to   trial  ;  but    there   would   be  DO 
I>oli(  y  in  doing  so.     They  would  train  nothing  by  it  but  discredit  to 
their  cause.     I  sec  no  room  for  fear-  at  present  ;  of  one  thin- 

.  that  should  1  ever  fet  1  that  I  stand   in  danger,  you  shall  be 
the  tir-t  to  know  it." 

"  Oh  I  thanks  for  that,  my  father.     Do  not  underrate  my  strength 
for  endura:  ran  die  with  .  an  not  save 

you." 

The  father  pressed  her  to  his  bosom. 

•  •  Y     .  ••  noble,  fearle  -  hild.  my   Kate,  that 
I  have  ever  known  you.     Believe    me,  I   do   not   feel  or  fear  the 


!<)>  KATHAKIM:  WALTON. 

danger  that  you  speak  of  ;  yet  I  do  not  doubt  or  deny  that,  if  the  policy 
of  the  British  authorities  lay  in  putting  me  on  trial  for  my  life — nay, 
putting  me  summarily  to  death — at  this  moment  —  there  would  be  suf- 
preU'.xt,  and  no  law  of  right  or  reason  would  he  respected  by 
them.     But  their  policy  at  present  is  forbearance,  toleration,  and  a 
mild  government.     Revenge  or  cruelty  would  only  embitter  the  pub 
lic  feeling,  and  arouse  a  spirit  in  the  country  such  as  they  could  never 
•  allay.     Kmmgh  now,  my  child,  on  this  subject.     Have  you 
heard  anything  lately  from  Robert  ?  " 

She  told  him  the  history  of  the  ruse  de  guerre  by  which  Lieuten 
ant  Meadows  had  been  defeated  by  the  wi-diaant  loyalist,  Furness  ; 
at  which  lie  laughed  heartily. 

"  But  of  course  you  keep  this  to  yourself,  my  child.  I  presume 
it  is  known  to  you  only.  Furness  did  not  appear  in  the  business, 
exempt  as  a  loyalist,  and  if  I  know  Robert  Singleton  truly,  he  will 
not  abandon  a  character  so  long  as  it  will  serve  a  good  purpose 
We  shall  hear  more  of  this  Furness,  be  certain.  You  have  not 
heard  directly  from  Robert  since  you  parted  with  him  at  the  'The 
Oaks?'" 

"  0/him,  but  not /row  him.     We  were  told " 

"  Hush  !  some  one  approach! 

It  was  the  officer  on  duty.  The  evening  had  closed  in,  and  the 
time  bad  come  for  Katharine's  departure.  She  would  have  lingered 
—  she  clung  to  her  father's  neck  with  ;»  renewal  of  her  tears,  and  it 
was  with  some  effort  that  he  put  her  away.  When  the  officer  reap- 
at  the  entrance,  she  met  him  with  dried  eyes  and  a  calm  ex- 
,  which  greatly  astonished  him.  An  hour  after  her  departure. 
Colonel  Walton  was  honored  with  another,  but  less  welcome  visiter. 
This  was  Balfour. 

"Colonel  Walton,"  said  the  intruder,  in  mild  and  gravely  sym- 
pathi/ing  accents,  "1  am  truly  sorry  to  find  you  in  this  situa- 
lion." 

the  sentiment  honors  your  magnanimity,  Colonel  Balfour,  at 

i  of  your  policy,  I  am  bound  to  give  you  credit  for  sincerity. 

1  certainly  find  it  irksome  enough  just  now,  to  be  a  captive;  but  it  is 

the  fortune  of  war  ;  it  is  one  of  the  incidents  of  our  profession,  and 

uot  the  worst." 


''Pint,  im  •  >lonel  Walton,  has  it-  soiine    in   the   )>• 

condition  which  you  occupy  as  a  prisoner 

to  the  fact  that  his  majesty's  irovernmcnt  rciranN  you  in  quite  another 
character  than  that  of    mnv  prison*  r  i,; 

,.  j. 

••  When  rMCUed  at  iWchc-trr.  you  were  under  senteii. 
That  sentence  has  never  been  rev<>;. 

••  lint  was  that  the: sentence  of  a  proper  tribunal,  Colonel  Hal  four  V 

•  not  a  denial  of  the  right  which  I  had  to  a  proper  trial  by  my 

erdae   by    Lord    Cornwallis.  of    a   .i 

will,    in    which    hi;    sacrificed    law    and    justice    to    arbitral 
thorn \ 

"  1  have  no  Hirht  to  discuss  this  question  with  y«>u.      I! 
officers  heie  are  not  prcpan  d  to  opp<'<e  their  superiors  in    in;/ 
whidt  the  responsibility  is  theirs  alone.     It  i-  the  expressed   opinion 

vdoii,  for  example,  that   all   that    i- 
tify  your  person,   and  immediately  carry  out 

•  allis." 

in  truly  obliged   to   his   lordship,  <  'four.      I! 

not  niince  matters  \\ith  us  poor  provinciaN.      Well.  sir.  am    I 

,d  that  \.. u  concur  with  him  ?     That  you  «>  carry 

out  his  opinion  into  pcrforman.  :  ifr,  I  lia\- 

ilie    'rouble  of   all    investigation,    by    assiiriirj  •     I    am   the 

teal    Kirhnrd    Walton,    colonel   in    the  state   line    of    South    < 
mili; 

"It   is    my    wi-h.   Colonel    Walt-»n    t«»    MVlB    JTOU       1'    i-    ll.- 
that  I   am   reluctant    • 

:     much    prefer    an    investi-ration 
reirular    trial,     as    if    no 
forth  .  in    !  •    time,   ti 

-•If    to    his   majesty  s    i;iivrrnmen(.  and     mak> 

with  the    :  "i   have  so  jjrievi.u«-ly  They 

are  not  vindicti\e.  and.  in  the  Q*H  "1  MM  whoM-  priva1 
they  have  so  much  reason  to  rcsjM-ct.  they  would  \ 
indul. 

.   doubt    of    it.  sir;  no   doubt.     Hitherto,  they   have   p 
their  indulgence    in    a    thousand    cases,  as    well   ki; 
as  to  me.  :d  to  our    sensibilities 

1A 


410  K  ATI!  A  KINK    WALTON. 

Colonel  Balfour,  that  you  should  deliberately  eninniunieate  to 
my  daughter  the  peril  in  which  her  father  stood  that  you 
should  speak  of  me  as  a  fugitive  and  a  spy.  and  point,  a*  it  were. 
to  the  ignominious  gallows  in  which  I  was  to  IK-  justified  as 
such?" 

The  face  of  Balfour  paled  at  this  address.  His  heart  and  ejQfl 
sank  together  under  the  stern  questioning  of  Walton,  lie  spoke 
stammeringly  — 

"I  had  to  excuse  my  reluctance,  sir,  at  suiTering  her  to  visit  you 
in  prison." 

"And  whence  this  reluctance  ?  Suppose  me  the  condemned  crim 
inal,  convict,  and  doomed  to  the  fatal  tree;  even  in  such  case  what 
ground  would  there  be  for  refusing  the  visits  of  a  child  to  a  parent. 
At  such  a  time,  and  under  such  circumstances,  she  had  an  especial 
claim  to  make  them,  if,  indeed,  you  recognize  humanity  as  having  a 
claim  at  all." 

"But,  Colonel  AValton,  you  do  not  know  the  circumstances  ;  you 
do  not  know  that  there  are  traitors  in   tin's  city  —an   organi/.ed   con 
spiracy.   including  wealth    and   numbers,   who  are    forever   plotting 
against  the  peace  of  his  majesty's  government." 

"In  spite  of  all  its  indulgences  ;iiid  huiranities  !  " 

"Yes, sir;  in  spite  of  all  !  The^e  conspirators  would  like  noth 
ing  so  well  as  your  extrication  from  bond-." 

"  I  should  be  grateful  to  them  for  it." 

"No,  doubt,  sir;  and  what  would  be  my  answer  to  his  majesty's 
government,  if,  knowing  these  things,  and  knowing  how  many  wo 
men  are  concerned  among  these  conspirator*.  I  afforded  them  such 
facilities  of  communicating  with  yon,  through  your  daughter,  a- to 
enable  you  to  make  your  escaj 

"  A  subtle  diMiculty,  ( 'olonel  Hal  four,  but  the  plea  is  without  sub 
stance.  All  captives  will  de-ire  toe-cape  from  captivity,  and  all  true 
friends  will  help  tin-in  1o  do  so.  It  is  for  the  jailer  to  see  that  they 
do  not  succeed  :  not  sir.  hyadenial  to  humanity  of  what  it  may  jiMlv 
claim,  but  by  vigilance  that  never  Bleeps  Of  tires.  Sir-  -  Colonel  Bal- 
four — you  have  done  a  very  cruel  thin-  in  speaking  to  my  daughter  as 
you  have  done." 

Halfour  by  this  time  had  recovered  his  native  effrontery.  He 
felt  his  power,  and  was  di-po-i  d  to  a>-ert  it.  The  tone  of  gu- 


periority  which    Walton    employed    annoyed    li. 
Aii'l  he  answered  somewhat  pettishly  — 

••  1  am  willing  to    think.    Colonel    Walton,    that    I    may    i 

I    certainly    have    no    desire    t<»    ohject    that    //'/'/  sliouM 
think  so.      The  error,  however,    must    he    imputed    t 

I  had  no  desire  to  make  Mi>»  Walton  unhappy.' 

"Let  us  >av  no  is;    ;•<•  of  it,  C"lonel   Balfottr." 

1  h,-  l-.fty  manner   in  \\hich  this  *M    <poken  had  in 
pearancr  of  di>j_rust    which    iuereaM'd    Halfour's    irr:' 
was  douhly  vexed  that,  resist  it  :;>>   lie  would,  1 
lion  tjiiite  un.-eated  in  t!ie  QMlfen  ::(>r- 

with  soiui'th'n  .  ;  (-ration,    theveinie.  thar 

rcMime  tl;e  conversation,  takin-  a    Iligbcr  Rtlil 
in    tact,  deterin'nied    on    makin-    Walton    fully    feel    ni: 
hoj)ed)  tVar  his  Mtuation. 

-  Colonel  Walton."  he  said,  "  I  nm*t  t.-ll  y«.u  that  3 
pursue    the    ri.u'ht    6OUIM    t'»    make    i' 
will  never  answer.      Here  you  are  in  our  haii 
the  (h-cree  of  our  hi-hcM    h.cal    authority  your    1 

Y..U  »re  a   recovered  t'u-iti\e  iVom  our  jiwti< 

what  is  said  of  our  power,  having  idcntita-d  you,  ! 

.  t..  tl.e    <l»om  of  death,    from    which 
foUuuate  •;'!-ll;M<   w!'; 

|fl    the    help    Of     tbOM     IfllO    *<  old 

your  situati'-n.  and,  perhaps,  help  you  tfl  «  lu.'.e    its  da: 
or  prudent,  that  you  .-li<>idu  »Cl  thus  I 

H  Colonel    Halfmir,  1    take    for    -ranted    |l 
.n.anin-  NS  hen  you    l|KMlk    tlllW.       \Ton    D 
miu.l,  in  the  first   place,  that  yOtl  )  tViein'hl\ 

to  n 

•  Tudouhtedly,  sir;    you  I 

••  Well.  <ir.  Rprofe«ek>n  of  this  kind  fron: 
sition,  to  a  peftOO  in  my  611 

gomethin-r  may  he  ,h,iu«  — that,  in    fact.  DJJ  uti.r!;, 

ile-perate." 

"  I  certainly  mean  to  (mi\e\    that 

"  Well,  sir,"  now  that   iff 
may  I  ask   in  what  manner  you 


41  L  KATHA1UNK    \V  ALTON. 

ly  feeling  toward  in*'  '     Clearly,  Colonel  Ralfour,  inv  onject  is  to 
escape  from  captivity  and  death,  if  1  ma  v  d<>  so.      That  1  am  legiti 
mately  a  prisoner,  I  admit  ;     lint  only  a   pri>oner-of.war        That 
1  am  lawfully  doomed  to  di(  .  1  deny;    yet  I    do    not    j)r»!'t 
'Link  myself  sale  because  I  am    innocent.      I    frankly  tell 
^;r,  that  I  do  not  doubt  the  perfect  coolness  and  iinlillWrm-e  with 
v,  liich  the  present  authorities  of  the.  country  will  commit  a  - 
crime,  if  it   shall    seem    proper  to  their    policy    to  do    so.      1 
perfectly  willing  to  deprive,  (hem  of  any  excuse  for  the  commi>- 
.-i'»ii  of  this  crime,  in  my  case,  if  you  will    show  me.  how  it  is  (<• 
he  done  ;    and  it,  in  its  performance.  1  am  requTed  to  yield  noth 
ing  of  Belf-respcct  and    honor — " 

"  Oh  !  surely,  Colonel  Walton,  J  am  hound  to  do  so.  I  would 
not,  for  the  world,  coun.sel  you  to  anything  at  all  inconsiMent 
with  either.  I  have  too  high  a  respect  for  your  name  and  char 
acter —  too  warm  an  admiration  lor  your  daughter " 

\h!— " 

"  Yes,  >ir.  for  your  daughter,  whom  1  esteem  as  one  of  the 
most  amiable  and  Accomplished,  as  she  is  one  of  the  most  bean- 
tiful  women  1  have  ever  BO 

"  I  thank  you,  Colonel    Balfour,  hut  I,  who    know  my  daugh 
ter  well,  can  readily  di>pei,-,e  with  this  elogium  upon  her." 

Balfour  hit  his  lip.-,  replying  peevishly — 

'"iiel  Walton,  you  carry    it  quite,   too    proudly.      I    would 
be  your  friend,  sir  —  would  really  like,  to  serve,  you. — " 

"  Well,  .sir  ;  —  proceed  —  proceed  !" 

'   Thus,  then,  Colonel  Walton  —  having    endeavored    to    show 
you  perfectly  your  situation,  and  the,  danger  in  which  you  j,tand. 
I  declare  myself  friendlily    disposed,  and    willing  to    a>si>(    you. 
Your  case  is  a  bad,  but  not  exactly  a  desperate  one;     that  is  I" 
it  may  be  in  the  power  of  some  person*,  bo  to  interpose  he 
.;  the  jllfltly -aroused  anger  ••!'  our  sovereign,  and  the  victim 
6  him  from  his  punishment." 

1  In  other  words,  sir,  you,  Colonel  Hal  four,  can  exercise 
tit    influence    with    Lord    Comwallis  to    relieve  ine   fr»:n 

"  Precisely,  my  dear    coh.ne.l  ;     that    is    exactly  tltti 
•nay  venture    to  allirrn  that,    besid.->    myself,  and    possibly    ].»i.' 


Rawdon,  there  is  no  other   man  or  set  of  men,  in    South  fa: 
na.  to  whom  this  tiling  is  possible." 
••  1  think  it  very  likely." 
•  And  1  jini  disposed,  Colonel  \V;ilton,  to  use  this  influence  in 

df." 

••  I  am  very  much  obliged  to  you,  (Colonel  Balfour,  as  I  h.ive 
t       ;    I  think  it  very    probable    that  y-u    may  int« 

fully,  for  1  that    no  <>th<- 

that  I  know,  is  likely  to  do  so.      But,  >ir,  y»u  will    sut:< 

that  I  am  too  well  aware,  that  I  have  no  personal  claim  up- 
on   you    for   the  6  act  "f  friendship.      I 

hum    it  on  the   score  of  former  >ympathir 

your  recognition  of  my  individual  claims  as  a 
if  worth  and  char.t 

•  ur  winced    at  this.      He  felt    the    hit-  \Val 

Ion  j  .  : — 

"  It  is  clear,  therefore,  that   I  can  not  expect  y>u  thus  t- 

without  il  acknowledgments.      There    must    be  a 

ideration  for  this.      The  quid  ]>K>  tji/<>.  I    understand,  is 

looked  in  anything  that  ma;  ;>on." 

"  li.-allv,  Colonel    Walton,  y<>u    r«-lieve    D 

.  vou  liave  no  pi-i'Minal  »»r  p:i 

claims    upon   me,    except,    generally,    as   a    man    of  worth 
Tie  .  -M-U  no  previous  ndati-- 

tweeii  us       If,  therefore,  I  am  moved  to  R,  it  must 

'.\-  be  in    consequence  of  certain    coi:  1  t« 

:.  wliich  —  ah  :" 

1I-M    be  !.'.'•    '    i  :    i'  I  moment.     The   stern    but  calm   eye  of 
Walton  was  upon  him.      Hi 

l.ut  the  !•  n  of  the    vantage  •••  hich    lie    held, 

«t«n 

rit,  when  !,  •  !  what  he  waa  any 

-  In  short,"  said  he,  "('..1  -i.el  ^^^l!:.Ml,   I    can    save   you  frou. 
:  ,     ;,  :  .    .n  !   I  alone  :    and   I   will  COB 

MI,  and  »i. 
N  .:  i  Halfour.'  iinljr. 

Your  daughter,  sir.  Itoii " 

Ah!" 


411  KATHAIIIXK    WALTON. 

The  brow  of  Walton  prow  clouded.  The  air  of  Balfonr  be 
came  more  desperate,  as  ho  added — 

"  Yes,  colonel,  your   daughter!      I   acknowledge   her   virtue 
and  her  beauties.     They  liavo  subdued  a  heart  which    lias  m-\ 
or  yet  trembled  at  the  smile,  or  power  of  woman.    Sir — Color"' 
Walton,  give  me  th<»  hand  of  your  daughter,  in   honorable  ma 
nage,  and  you  are  saved.      I  pledge  my  life  upon  if." 

Walton  started  to  his  feet  with  a  hurst  of  indignation  «|.i  ; 
he  could  not  repress.  lie  confronted  the  commandant  \\ith  .1 
stern  visage,  and  a  voice  that  trembled  with  passionate  em<.' 

"What,  sir,  do  you  see  in  me  to  suppose  that  1  would  sell  my 
Idood  to  save  my  life,  !  That  I  would  put  the  child  of  my  af 
fections  into  bonds  that  T  might  break  my  own  !  Colonel  Hal- 
four,  your  oiler  is  an  insult.  You  owe  your  safety  to  the  fart 
that  I  am  your  prisoner  !" 

"  You  will  repent  this  violence,  Colonel  Walton,"  said  Hal- 
four,  rising,  and  almost  white  with  rage.  "  You  are  trifling  with 
your  fate,  sir.  Be  warned  !  Once  more  I  repeat  the  offer  I 
Iiave  made  you.  Will  you  give  me  your  daughter's  hand  in 
marriage,  and  e;  rape  your  dangers  ?" 

"  Never  !  Let  me  rather  die  ;i  thousand  deaths  !  Sell  my 
child — yield  her  to  such " 

"Beware,  Colonel  Walton  !  You  are  on  the  precipice.  A 
single  word  —  a  single  breath,  and  yon  go  over  it !" 

"Away  !  sir  ;   away,  and  leave  me!" 

"  Very  well,  sir  !  if  the  daughter  be  no  wiser  than  the  father, 
l"ok  to  it!  Your  doom  must  be  spoken  by  Jn-r  lips,  if  not  by 
your  own.  That  is  your  only  chance  !" 

Balfour  gave  the   signal    at    the   close  of  this   speech,  to    the 
keeper  of  the   door    without,  and    as   soon    as   it    wax   opened  to 
him,  he  rushed    out  with    feelings  of  fury  and    mortified 
such  as  he  had  not  often  en<!nr<>d. 

"  lie  means  to  ofler  this  alternative  to  my  child — this  dread 
fill  alternative  !  But  no  !  she  shall  never  he  made  the  sacrli.  < 
i'-r  me!  Richard  Walton  can  not  accept  the  boon  of  life,  bow- 
ever  precious,  at  the  peril  of  his  child's  peace,  and  to  the  ruin 
cf  her  be.-t  ailecti..iis  !" 

WM  l!,e  Mern  resohit'oii  of  Walton,  spoken  aloud,  after 


THK    I'RIPK    OF    LIFE.  4 1 5 

Hallour  had  retired.      He  frit  that  his  peril  had    i:reatl\ 
cd  in  consequence  of  the  passion  wliirli    the  1 

fitter.       He  !IM\V  well  nnderstMud   !.  : 

l.iy  in  the  had    character  of  the    commandant,   and    tl  • 

-ponsibility  of  the  British  p.iwer,  at    present  in  the  state,  ilie 
r.-klessness  of  its  insolence,  and  the  conviction  which  it;  r.-pie- 
M-ntatives    ^em-rally    felt,    however    hlindly,  that    then- 
Icar  to    I  ••  ejitei -taine<l    that  they  were  destined  to  any 
Walton's  mind    promptly    grasped  all    the    circuiiistani-f:    in   his 
.  and  he  deceived    himself  in    im  respect  with    rr-ard  t'»  the 

:uity  -if  his  danger;     hut  the    result  only  found    ! 
n-.-'dute  in  the  determination  lie  had  formed  so  promptly,  to  per- 
i.-di  a    thousand    times    rather    than    stiller    his  daughter  to  i. 
such  a  cruel  sacrifice  as  that  which  wns  required  ns  tl,«-   i 
bit  deliverance 


4!0  KATHAKINK  WALTOB. 


CIIAl'TKR    XLV 
BLTIMATUM. 

WHKN,  the  next  day,  Katharine.  Walton  presented  herself  >L 
lather's  dungeon,  ho  had  reached  tin1  course  which  lie  \\n*\ 
«M!  to  pursue,  by  which  to  defeat  the  desires  of  Hallbur. 

"  Kate,  my  child,"  said  the  father,  as  he  pressed  her  affec- 
ti..uately  to  his  bosom,  "  there  is  a  matter  upon  \vhichlmust 
ik  wit!i  you  in  advance  of  all  others.  You  are  engaged,  I 
know,  to  Robert.  Singleton.  Hut  ties  of  this  SOTt,  '"..less  the 
heart  really  furnishes  the,  cement  between  the  parties,  are  per- 
h;,«is  I <»'tter  broken  than  maintained." 

"  Hroken,  father  !  You  surely  would  not  have  me  break  faith 
with  Robert  !" 

•'  Hy  no  means,  my  child,  if  you  really  feel  that  you  love 
him  heyoml  all  other  men,  and  if  your  confidence  in  his  judg 
ment  and  honor  be  such  as  to  enable  you  to  repose  with  perfect 
r'-'iance  upon  his  bosom.  It  is  this  very  question  which  I  de- 
)  urge.  Are  von  as  quite  satisfied  this  hour  with  the  en- 
:nent  made  to  Robert  as  in  the  hour  when  you  first  consent 
ed  to  it  I  Is  there  no  falling  oft'  of  faith  —  no  coldness,  no  in- 
difference.,  no  distrust  between  you?" 

"  None,  father.  Hut  w  he,  re  fore  do  you  aak  ?  Surely,  you  do 
n  it  hold  me  so  tickle  as  to — " 

14 No!  uo  !  Kate,  my  precious!  1  have  no  such  suspicions; 
flod  your  answer,  as  it  concerns  yourself,  is  perfectly  conclusive., 
/.nd  now  tell  me  of  Robert.  Are  you  quite  satisfied  with  him  f 
Is  he  still,  so  far  as  you  know,  as  faithful,  as  devoted  to  you  aa 
fou  feel  yourself  to  him  !  Have  you  no  neirlect.  no  coMi 


•ompUun  <>t  i     1>>  •  m  ,,t  n,,,,, 

character,  and  ni    high    M>nliineiit  that  \\  e    lia\,«    hitherto  al . 
thought  Jiiin  /" 

•  1  ha\e  Derei   once  fancied  that 

'•ii.  in   my  iniiui,  th<  and 

laitlilul  "I'litlfiium." 

u^h,  then,  on  that  Mii>jeet.      .My  opinion 

'•ton     h;iv«;     ionjr     !>een     thi 
n-main     the    value    a>    e.  . 
equally  " Minatory.       AIM,   :  .M-    me  ,  : 

UN  r  it  mi    liif    >acrcil   M.|IIIIU».  inv  vin 

lliat,    while    Kohrr  •inur>    true    to    hid 

yOQ  will  nr\ci   W«M!  \\ith  any  «»il,cr  man1" 

TO    tins,  my  lather  !      Oh,  h 
that    I    shoulff  do   so  f      Can    you,  ii.  .. 

-iK-li  an  oatli  •'" 
"  Kate,  my  child.  I  am  Imf  taking 

I'll'     -  -    \v  liirl-.    :i-    ye|.     \-"i| 

which  1  shall    !><>   the  i    to    unfold   to    v«m.      1    do  n«»t 

iloul-t  your   ;it}'ecti«»u-.  my  child,  or  yimi    principl* 

iiead.  \\1.  r  t!ie  suj>}>".-t  1  ilesire 

\e   yon    !,y   tlic     .at!)    \\hich    I    ' 
ini^ht  tiuii    yon    freMc.  and    MM-:II  tC 
which  your   oun    In-art  would    ahhoj.      You    i;    . 

to  niptui'e    your   tieti  \\  i;h    lv 
liand  to  aiii.tl.er  JM  I 

MNeV«  -'.          Oli.Iiiy    lather,  Imu    call     \"U    BO    ft.1 

What    contin^encirr,    cai,  ;    to    make    me   8O 

liobert  !  —  MI    \H\-  n  «g 

\\tdl  as  jii»- 

'       \-     1     !,.     . 

IM    tiiaU   <•!'   whici, 
(|ia»stion    y«uir   faith,  ymir    ! 
cijiles.       Your  truth  i->  nilf  "I   the 
la-Art.      Hut  1  i  list  i 
and  would  \v  .-h    :     pym    :' 
The  j-n.ce^  foi  <  the    .-ne    that 

Do  uot  y«  u     luulit   me.  niy  chi!  '.i   I   ha\  . 


K.VTIlAKIXK 

1m  \\i<<u  1  uu.      ii' htill  dc\ui<  L<    .  eit  Singieton.  pre 

terring  him  to  all  the  world  of  men,  and  still  eonlidei.t  «>('  bin 
integrity  and  nobleness,  it  can  not  give  yon  pain  to  riMie-*'  m 
me,  in  the  most  solemn  manner,  in  his  he.halt',  the  pledge* 
already  made  to  him.  Submit  to  me.  my  child,  and  believe  me 
that  there  are  necessities  for  this  proceeding  of  whicb  I  may  not 
speak  to  yon.  This  Hible  which  yon  hn\  <>  brought  me  is  yonr 
dear  mother's.  She  has  kissed  it  a  thousand  times.  Take  it  to 
yonr  own  lips  while  1  adjure  ynu.  and  you  promise  me,  that,  so 
long  as  Robert  Singleton  lives  and  without  loss  of  character, 
yon  will  wed  no  other  man.  no  matter  what  events  may  happen 
to  make  it  appear  politic  to  do  so;  though  death,  though  dan- 
££r,  though  wrong,  contumely,  and  murder  even,  should  threaten 
yourself  and  others  most  dear  and  precious  to  yon  !  Swear  t 
me,  my  child,  and  remember  all  my  words,  for  there  mav  come 
a  moment  when  you  may  discover  that  the  very  meanest  of 
them  has  a  value.  Will  yon  not  do  for  me  \\hat  1  require,  my 
child  .' —  what  I  entreat  ?" 

The  maiden  took  the  sacred  volume  in  her  hands.  She 
looked  bewildered  and  confused  ;  hut  she  spoke  — 

"  1  will  do  as  yon  require,  my  father.      I  should  be  wretched, 
however,    to    .suppose    that    you    doubt,    my    faith,   and    deem    it 
-ary  thus  to  make,  it  steadfast." 

"1  do  not  douht  yonr  faith;  but  you  little  dream  in  u  hat 
manner  it  is  to  be  assailed.  I  would  really  seek  to  strengthen 
i  u/.\c/f  in  the  conviction  that  nothing  which  mav  happen  shall 
prevail  to  separate  y«-u  and  yonr  cousin." 

"And  nothing  shall,  my  father,  while  Robert  remains  faithful 

to  his  pledges.      1  will  take   the   oath  which    yon  propose.      It  is 

sworn.      I  have  preyed  my  lips  on  pa^es  \\hich  mv  dear  mother 

made    doubly  sai-red    by  I  he    (VeqiH-nt    pressure   of    hers.       I 

:nnly  vow  that    no   other  man    shall    have    the  hand  which  1 

have  given  to  Robert  Singh-ton." 

"  I  am  satisfied,  my  child.      You  have  relieved  me  of  a  dread 
fid  apprehension.      But    of  this    1    must  say  nothing.      1   will  not 
shock   your  ears    by  a    revelation  which    1    lea-  \h;it   yon  will  he 
compelled   to    hrar  from    less   scrupulous    lip-        He    »irm  in  what 
you    have   promised,  for   you    are  destined    U    be    imilily  tn'ed 


n.TIM  \  i  I'M.  }  1  1' 


i  i  r   motiei 

your  father.  the  one  a  pure  spirit.  tin*  other  a  MUI  Miitcrin^  mor 
tal,  are  the  \\itiiessesnfa  pledge  that  thev  will  Imtli  expect   \    u 
deem  with    all    your  In-art,  uitli    all    your  soul,  and  with  all 
your  Mi-mirth." 

W.-    need    not   linger  now  with   wir    captive    in    liis   dungeon 
Throughout    tin-    l.»nir    «lay  it  \va>    relieved    of   its   jjoom,  if  not 
6    cheerful.    l»y   the    fond    and    unwearied    attentions    of    liin 
iatlghter.      Her  f<>..d  was    limu^'lit   her  also   in  his  prison,  and  it 
nightfall,  when    required    to    dej)art,  that    she   i-"i.- 
UT    hersel!'   away.      She    returned    to   her  home  that 
:lier.  for  the  first  time,  an  inkling  of  the  JMII-JM. 
itlier  in  the  ^-'leinti  re<juisit;«in  which  he  had  made  upon  hei. 
!iad  the  t<  Mn    Singleton  he<-n  removed. 

when  (  '..l.-jiel    Hnli'uir  was   announced.      II«-was   pnunptly  CDII 
flucted  to  the  parlor.  wh(>n  he  desirod  tho  servant  to  sav  that  hi* 
WftltOTl        Katharine  did    not    lon«:  delay 
li.'rself. 

Balfour  Wai!   profouilil    i:i    his   COUrtCnOt.       He    mse   at   her  »«n- 

.ier  t«»  tin*  s-.fa,  and  seat«'d  liin.sclf  Itesi.ie  her. 

\\'c    iigl    IBS,  v.  itho.it  notice,  the   preliminaries,  the  civil  in<|uirien 

her  own  and    the  health  of  nther  parties,  hi-  remarks  upon 

'i  all  those  usual  ;  .th  which  the  r< 

.  -liiiician  wmiid  naturally  strive  to  (jualify  the  (fleet  «.f  i 
aniH'vin^  matter.      lialfnur's   hardih- 
his  anxieties  too  urgent.  hi> 

to  allow  of  much  delay  in    approaching    the    D 
of  his  vi 

"  M!-s  Walton,"  said  he.  after  finishing  his  prefaces,"  1  surely 
need  not   now  inform  you  that,  since  I  have   known  you,  1  have 
.tainedtli'  i  you,  and  the  most  ear 

i  happy." 
The   t'.irr      !      K     '  : 
she  steadily  met  his  glance.      He  eoiitinued  — 

"  You  will  do  me  tie  justice  to  admit  that,  from  the  moment 
of  your  arrival  in  this  city  —  since,  in  other  VTQfdt,  you  have  be- 
c<ime  a  ward  of  tin-  rmwn  —  you  have  heon  honon-d  with  the 
rcspecLrul  attentions  V«.ur  health,  happiness,  and  eumfort 


420  KAT!l\l;. 

have  been  (.'Dually  cared  tor,  and  your  slightest  win  lies  considered, 
where  these  did  not  conflict  with  the  rights  of  his  maje.-ty." 

-Colonel  Balfour,  I  «lo  not  know  what  i*  the.  nature  of  the 
acknowledgment  which  you  desire  to  extort  from  me  hy  this 
speech.  It  may  be  enough,  perhaps,  to  say  that  1  have  no  cum- 
plaint  to  olTer.  I  do  not  acknowledge  that  my  happiness  or 
de-sires  have  been  at  all  an  object  of  the  solicitude  of  his  inajes 
ly's  government,  as  these  can  not  well  be  consulted  in  a  • 
tiition  of  captivity  such  as  mine." 

"  Captivity.  .Miss  Walton  !      Surely  not  !" 

"  Surely  yes!  J  regard  my  situation  as  one  of  captivity,  tlu* 
severity  of  which  has  been  modified  only  with  reference  to  my 
sex.  Were  it  left  to  me,  sir,  the  mountains  of  North  Carolina 
or  Virginia  should  environ  me,  rather  than  the  \\alls  of  a  British 
garrison." 

"Iain  sorry  to  hear  you  speak  thus,  Miss  Walton.  I  had 
hoped  that  the  kindness  with  which  you  have  been  welcomed 
everywhere  in  Charleston,  the  respectful  devotion  of  all  in  gar- 
rison,  the  indulgence — " 

"No  more,  Colonel  Balfour.  Is  it  not  enough  to  say  that  I 
have  no  complaints?  1  utter  no  reproaches." 

"  No,  Miss  Walton  ;  let  me  say  that  this  is  not  enough,  when 
it  is  remembered  how  small  was  the.  claim  upon  his  majesty's 
indulgence  which  could  be  urged  by  any  of  your  name,  or  any 
of  your  connections.  We  find  them  all  against  us,  all  hostile,  in 
sentiment,  and  most  of  them  in  arms  against  their  legitimate 
sovereign." 

"  I  am  willing  to  admit  all  these,  alleged  offences,  Colonel 
Halfmir  ;  but  whither  do  your  charges  tend  /  I  am  your  captive 
—  my  father  is  in  your  bonds.  Our  humiliations  have  kept  pace 
with  our  supposed  offences.  What  farther  admission  would  you 
have  me  mak 

"  Your  father's  situation,  Miss  Walton,  should  Mirely  convince 
you  of  our  power." 

"  It  is  not  denied.     We  are  1/1  your  power." 

"We!  You!  I  would  it  were  so!  We  shall  see.  Your 
father  /.T  .  and  vou  must  be  sensible  in  what  danger.  I  have 
spoken  of  this  matter  already." 


KIM. 


••  fet,  Oolonel    Hallom.  ,    and   1   truM    tii.tt  u  it,  m>t 

for  tin1    renewal  of  that  communication    tl  at   you   seek  rne  now. 

i  not  heliexe  that,  in   your  rainier  an  i  OH,  In   moii  > 
mean  to  ur-e  M.  cruel  a  sul-j. 

"  Hut  if  it  he  true  t      If  it  he  that  your  father  is  in  peril  of  hit 


"  It  is  not  trui'!      It   can   not  he  true!      I    can   not  douht  fha' 

'.umatiity  enough    in    t!  < 

—  magnanimity,  perhaps.  1  should  say  —  to  •rretl  all  ttich   ; 
deroilfi  purpoM-*.  such  a^  you  \  e>ter<'.-i  • 
Hallbur  sliook  his  heail. 

"SuppOM  I  tell  you.  .M  ^  -  \Valtnii.that  you  hoj..-  against 
h-ipp  !  Are  yii  ju  fjtai'cU  to  li-ten  to  the  whole  truth,  and  with- 
•»i.t  looking  with  hate.'  and  horror  on  him  \\li-- 

"  1  know  mif.  sir  !  —  I    know  not  !      I5ut,  at    all    cvi 
tiie     truth,    the    whole    truth,    whatever     1  e     the 
Have  no  tears    l-«r  me.       It'   what    you  |ip.j...se  t"  !••!!    : 
inith,  it    is  just    as  well    that    yo*    should    dec! 

v   let    it  he  ilir  (ruth  that    you    sjieak,  and  wit! 

tious  of  its  inix-hievoe.-    iinjiort  as  tl.. 
I    too   frequently  employ  when    they  u.-uh;    in  .j-ie^stlie 

If  the  truth 

;t  and  |>repare  for  if  as  I  mav." 

"  V-"!  arc  .  IflM  \Valton  —  very  hitter—" 

"  Hitter,  you    say!      Certainly  a    very  unnatui.  in   the 

6  with  such  a  juospec! 

"The  pi..>pect  ix  dark  em»n.Lrh.  I  jrrant  you  :    hut  : 
it.,  li^ht.      It     I   show  you  the  threatening    tempevt.  it   i 

ou  the  hi 

nt  with    me.  I  entreat    yon.  \\hile   I   <!  .....        I 
.  o|    .J.,,,my  and  terrihle  thiiiL^  ;    hut  vmi 
that   I  c;ui  pnint    you    out    the    little    r;leam  of  li-ht  which 
Up   out    of   the    darkness.      What    I    - 
(piite  hue.      Your  father  has  nothing  to  h<>p<»  hut  fr«uu  tl 
of    h  •.  's    repir  :  na.       II«'  i>  a 

man,  as   he   himself  mu-t    feel;    mie  \\h".  whether  un 

forfeiture  of  life.      That  senter 
from  tho  nature  i.f  the  case,  be  carried  into  efiect  by  an 


KATH.MUXK  \v.\i:ro\. 

ouieer  who  found  liimscl!'  in  H  i»f  Colonel  Walton'i 

person.  He  is  in  my  possession.  1  hold  this  authority  to  exe 
cute  the  decree  of  Lord  Cornwall!*;  ;uid  what  prevails  to  prft- 
vent  that  1  should  do  so  ?" 

"  You  will  prevent  ?" 

"  Ah  !  Von  shall  hear  yet  further.  We  regard  these  states  of 
Carolina  and  Georgia  as  already  conquered.  Your  continental 
;:;•('  even  now  Hying  before  Cormvallis  in  Virginia,  and  Rawdon 
holds  undisputed  authority  within  the  interior.  Marion,  and  Sum- 
ter,  with  their  rajrjrcd  followers,  will  soon  share  the  fate  of  your 
father's  coininand.  Tin-  southern  states  will  all  fall  into  our  hands 
one  liy  one.  The  New  England  states  no  louder  sujijdy  the  ar 
mies  of  Washington  and  his  generals,  From  the  moment  that 
the  war  was  withdrawn  from  their  harren  domain,  thev  ahan- 
doned  the  contest,  The  destruction  of  a  French  fleet  will  effect 
ually  cut  off  another  <-f  the  allies  of  reUdlion  ;  and  your  states 
of  the  south  will  peri.-h  under  the  natural  exhaustion  which  is 
10  follow  from  such  an  unequal  conflict.  It  is  mere  de>pe- 
;.  to  hope,  that  anything  van  he  done  for  saving  those  states 
of  which  we  ha\e  possession.  The  st rubles  of  your  father  and 
Such  men  are  simplv  suicidal." 

"  Y«.ii  will  not  convince  lint  of  that." 

"That  is  hi*  misfortune.  Hut  we  must  hrintr  hitii  to  this  con- 
vietioti,  a.s  one  of  the  means  of  saving  him.  \\'e  must  persuade 
him  to  renounce  the  conflict  and  accept  the  mercy  of  his  m;t 

jesty." 

Kiitharine  shook  her  head  mournfully. 

"lie  will  never  prove  false  to  his  country." 

"  \Ve  Khali  not  ask  him  to  take  up  arms.  We,  shall  simply 
require  him  to  lay  t-!iem  down,  and  resume  the  neutral  attitude 
\\hich  he  kept  until,  in  evil  hour,  he^uiled  to  take  the.  field  at 
ien." 

"And  it  he  consents  —  should  we  persuade  him  to  this." 

"  Something  then  will  have  heen  gained  toward  restoring  him 
tj  the,  favor  of  his  majesty  ;  and,  upon  certain  other  conditions 
beinj;  complied  with,  i  think  1  mi^ht  venture  to  «-y  that  his 
mercy  —  " 

"Ah.  there  are  other  conditions!" 


V   -    M'—  ^     •  i 

lex    difficult  for  compliance.      In  tact,  my  drar   M.--  \V::lt'»n.  the 
rev  will  depend  on  yourself." 

•  <  >n  mo,  sir!"  with  unfeigned  astonishment. 
"  Yes,  on  yon,  and  you  wholly  !      The    fact   is.  my 
Walton  —  I    need    not   perhaps,  tell   you   that,  to   : 
Sir  Henry  Clinton  has  confided  the  wh«  le  ^.iverument  <>f  ;r 
in  this  section.      Mine  is  the  power  to  hind  and  In. 

uto.      The    life   of  your  father   is   in  my  hands.      Mv  \ 
my  will,  can  savo  him  ;   and   the   question    i>,  what   shrill    he 
influence  1  v  which  I  am  to  ho  moved   ti>  exert    this  voice   and 
will  /" 

"Oh,  gir  ! — Colonel  Bnlfonr — humanity  alone — " 
"  Won't  do  for  me  !     I  confess  to  beinjj  a  rat!  .  man  ; 

and  when  I  see  before  me  a  great  treasure,  ndly  be 

lieve  I  may  attain  through  the  exercise  or  the   f 
the  power   I    ;  f  life  or  death,   I    tell   you  frankly 

my  selfishness  rejects  all  minor  considerations,  and  insist!  w! 
on   the    treasure    for  which   it    thirsts.      Do  yon   not    u: 

11  1  (    nfi  !   do  not." 

"My  dear  Mis-  Walton,  you  have   already  hoard    mo 
the    admiration     which    1    felt    for    you,   and   the    j  '•  'iic!i 

-  it>  first    and    only  "hjrct.      YOU    hn\  • 
.  .11  with  scorn,  uir  r    1    am    imt    the    man 

tamely.      I  gladly  ur  >corn.      1  »    (lo- 

votion.      Once  more  I  flin^'  myxdf  ;;t  y.»ur 

:ited  to  t! 

••  lii>e,     i:  -  Halfnui  !      I   i  an  n->t  sutler  t!. 

Katharine  h«  id. 

"  Nay,  my  dear  .M.—  ^Valton.  it 
—  that  1  ;///<•  .\/  m.  '  m,  ;ui'l  \  i¥  that  T 

•i,  and  the  d.-xire  that   I  cherish  ' 
••  EtiM,  sir  !      It  is  ini] 
He  ro>e,  relurtantly. 
"  Nay,  do  not  say  imp  1 

all  the  circui;  1  'he.  no- 

.ty    of  iuuiing   frieiuU   at   this  juncture  —  "f  finding    nr 


4'2\  KATHAKIXK  WAI/ION. 

friend  as  myself,  one  who  lias  the  power  t(.  destroy  ;  but  who 
may  he  persuaded  to  spare  and  save.  lUd'eve  rno,  you  havp 
hut  to  say  tlio  word,  and  all  the  power  i  possess  shall  be  <nl>- 
ject  to  your  will." 

"You  do  but  try  me.  Colonel  Balfour.      I    can    not   believe   P.O 
harshly  of  yon  as  to  suppose  that  you  \viil  make  a  father's  life 
depend  upon  a  daughter's  favor.      You   sav  vou  have  the  power 
t  «  save,  him.     I   helieve   it.      1    rely  upon  you  —  your  sense  of 
jiiftice,  your  humanity,  the  obligations  that  you  owe.  to  the  pe-i- 
ple  over  whom  you  rule,  the  policy  which  heroines  the  - 
that  yon  represent.     You  will  not  outrage  all  of  these  by  an 
treme  exercise  of  power — by  the  cruel  murder  of  a   noble 

in,   from    whom    his   enemies    always   found    humanity   and 
" 

••  You  jdead  eloquently,  my  dear  Miss  Walton,  but  the  selfish 
ness  of  my  passion  will  not  allow  me  to   listen   to  your  plea.      I 
love  you  too  earnestly  not    to   take  every  advantage  of  the 
cnmstances  in  which   you    are    placed.      I    can   not    afford   t 
lianimous.      1    see    before    me   a  treasure,  the    loveliest 
most  precious  that  ever  blessed  mortal  eves,  or  was   intrusted  to 
mortal  keeping  ;    and  1  feel  that  by  the  exercise  of  a  certain 
ohition.that  treasure  /////A/  be  mine.     I  can  not  venture  to  be  gen- 
1  can  not  Ming  away,  perhaps,  the  only  hope  upon  which 
I  build  for  the  attainment   of  this  treasure.      You  mu.-t  be  mine. 
Katharine    Walton,    if  not    through    the    love    von    bear  to   me. 
through  that  which  you  bear  your  father." 

"Oh!  Colonel  Halfonr,  this  is  terrible  —  it  is  cruel,  it  is  un 
manly  —  and  when  you  know  that  it  is  impossible " 

"  I  know  nothing  of  the  sort  !  Nay,  Katharine  Walton,  let 
me  tell  you  freely.  I  know  that  there  is  nothing  impossible  in  a 
situation  like  yours.  Your  father's  life  hangs  upon  a  thread,  as 
fine.  ly  sundered  as  that  by  which  the  spider  h; 

against  the  wall.  You  love  your  father — I  know  how  precious 
li  the  tic  between  you.  Will  y^///.v  be  the  hand  to  smite  that 
thread  which  is  his  only  hold  upon  life  7  Will  yours  1  e  the  stern 
voice  which  dooms  him  to  a  premature  and  .shameful  death  ?'' 

"No  IDOM,  Colonel  1'alfour!  You  have  no  light  to  torture 
me  thiio  !  1  gs  of  this  wanton  cruelty,  tint 


L  L 1 1 .* . 


pmfligacy  ami  tyranny,  tl:;-  e.jiial  al-u-e  of  power  and  humanity 

t,.    Lord  Cornwall)  Henry    Clinton.   t«>   tlio   foot   of  the 

thm:  ami    y<ui    shall    feel    ami    In-    in;, 

your  turn,  at   n  power  to  which  all  that  ;  'it  a 

'•reath,  an  echo,  without  cither  B< 

:  ,ther  from  tliis  clanger,  consent  to  his  exchai  .  >me 

list  captive  of  his  own  rank,  or    I    expose  you   to  you; 

••  Ami  is  it  thus,  my  lovely  Katharine,  that  yon  defy  me,  ami 
oppose  your   feeble   strength   to   mine  ?      YOU  will  exp< 
Cornwall   ami   Clinton  —  y«.u  will  carry  your  plaint  t. 
.,f  the   throne  it.-clf !      One  would  suppose,  my  fa:  that 

U  had  all-  iently  01 

UableneSfl  of  petitions  at   the   foot  of  the   throne  ; 
Will   you   learn   nothing  from   expr:  Hut   why  -h'-uhl    I 

With    tl  •  to    convince  ?      The    result    mu>t 

I  Walton.  th«-  Of  will  nm; 

invest ;piti«»ii  within  the  next  tl: 
the  ,  1    thai]  'v   you.      M«-a-.\\h!' 

mend   y«.u    to   a   calmer  view  of  the  whole   Bubjed        Katlm- 
rine  Walton.  .  <•  me  at  the  peril 

all  |]  value,.     On  t! 

:    nor  a  n. 

to  think  that  the  Hriti>h  author/ 
D  all  tl,;.:  BI  in   humanity,  in  order  that  the 

Kail  triumph." 
Haltour  muled  hitterly. 

i  will  recall  t  1  ..,.. 

ken  them.      When   you    n-t   in   my  nnns,  as  my  lawful 
M  ;:,.     K    •:  will   Idush   for  these   n 

' 

uie.l    s..ldiorshii)   and    man:  ;  «'    }'«>«    should 

have  applied  the  epit!  IfboiB  name  y«-u  hoar." 

Katha;  I  •  her  full  height. 

i  !th»u  f  n-  Mmy  1 

hope  tluii  you  wi!'.  w  ?" 


426  KATIl. MMN'K    \V.\I.TON. 

This  was  spoken  with  a  rare  mildness  of  I..IM-  and  manner 
It  impressed  her  visitor.  His  accents  were  changed  and  apolo. 
getic. 

"  You  provoke,  me  unreasonably,  Miss  Walton,  and  mine  is  a 
temper  not  too  placable.  Tt  would  always  yield  to  you.  I  will 
not  trespass  longer.  You  have  heard  me,  What  I  have  said  is 
earnestly  and  truly  said.  The  facts  an-  all  as  I  have  Malrd 
them.  The  danger  is  precisely  what  I  have  shown  it.  The 
remedy,  I  repeat,  is  in  your  own  hands.  Think  upon  it  calmlv. 
for  you  may  he  assured  of  this,  that  I  have  declared  the  oniv 
conditions  upon  which  .your  father's  safety  depends;  and,  as  I 
live,  I  will  relax  in  nothing  of  what  I  ask  !  I  love  you  too  pas 
sionately  to  forego  .1  resolution  through  which  only  may  I  hope 
to  bend  your  stubborn  heart  to  my  desires." 

With  these  words  he  left  her,  miserable  enough. 

"This,  then,  was  the  secret  of  my  father's  purpose.  Can  it 
be  that  this  base,  bad  man  revealed  to  him  his  cruel  calcula 
tions?  But,  he  dare  not  —  he  dare  not!  Rawdon  would  not 
suffer  it,  nor  Cornwallis,  nor  Clinton.  I  have  but  to  declare  the 
facts  in  this  interview  to  shame  him  before  the  world." 

Poor  Katharine  —  she  little  fancied  how  little  responsibility 
the  world  feels  in  such  matters  —  how  quietly  i:  submits  to  the 
wrong-doing  that  trespasses  not  upon  its  individual  limbs  or 
pockets.  Still  less  did  Katharine,  in  her  rare  simplicity  of 
heart,  comprehend  the  degree,  of  independence  enjoyed  by  Brit 
ish  officers  when  three  thousand  miles  from  the  throne,  or  how 
intimate  was  the  alliance  Let  ween  these  worthy  agents  in  Car 
olina  when  victims  were  to  be  chosen  and  upoils  were  to  be 
appropriated. 


ril  AI'TKR   XLVI 
lIUBLLO, 

KVH\T>   he^an   to  move  with   unwonted    rapiditv  among  all 
parties  in  Charleston.      Proceeding!  were  init  ;  \)\&. 

nel  Walton   as  a    rebel    HIH!   a    Kpy,  and  a  court   of  inquiry  wai 

•'1  for  an  early   investigation   of  Ins  e;iM«.     Similai 
.ings,  under  charges  which  were   studious!-, 
ueie  ;I!M)  appointed    f"i  the  consideration  of  another  C"nrt, 

nvcMH'tl,  in    regard    to   t!  f  Major  IVoi-ti.r.      Ho 

remained    still    under   a   nominal  arrest  onlv  ;   a  foi  : 
cl, icily  in  the  de>ii<-  "t   Hall-mr  ID  r«'iiriliafc  Crnden  niiii 
praraiu •••>.      Hut    tin-  wily  coinniandant  only  waited    tin- 
wlion    hi.N    ^r;iine  \\.i-;    «|iiitc    siiri1.  t"   convert  ihe  nominjll  i:;f 
actual  MITOSt,  !n;t<!c  icitain  with  holts  and  fen- 

la    the    nieanu  hih1,  tlie    )>atriot>    and    frirnd>  -  •!    ^ 
1'ii^v,  d;iy    and    ni^ht.  in    Mndyi:  •  •    incct    : 

r  his  d(divei-;u:v«'.      Mcrtin^h   took   |d;ice  nijjlifl; 

::id  uther  jdares.      But  the  consultation*  "f  tin- 
8}iii  wi-d  them  their  \\eakncss;    and  at  length.  • 

whole    hope    of  rescuing  AValt";:  rd  np«in  ;i  jda: 

nii»tin^  the  keepers  of  his   person.      In  thN  work, 
an   active  part.  and«made  ' 

iates.       Hrfu.MMi    In-i-rlt 'and   T"ir    Sin^lrt'-n  two  of   thr 
puard.s  wi-ie    hiled;    1-ut    ti  esses    pioxrd    dch: 

con-npted    j»aitieM    hein^'    rnnoxeil  the  very  night  Jf  had 

•old  theip.-cb.  - 

The  pa  mo  had  to  he  licgun  anew,  and  with  innensed  rantion. 
U  was  evident   that  the  vigilar:  Bnlfour  n  all 


4^5  &A1 

their  movements,  and  the  zeal  and  activity  of  Mrs.  Brewton 
drew  down  upon  her  the,  especial  attentions  oi'  tlie  commandant. 
She    was    congratulating    herself  one    morning    upon    the   con 
siderable  progress  which  she  had  made  in   the  favor  of  a  British 
sergeant,  in  whom   the  officers  placed   Considerable   confidence, 
when    she   was   surprised    by    a    visit    from    Hal  four.       lie    was 
smiling   and  very  courteous,  and    these,  with    him,  were. always 
suspicious  appearances.      He,  did  not    leave  her  long  in  don1 
to  his  purpose. 

"  My  dear  Mrs.  Brewton,"  said  he,  "  I  am  sorry  to  perceive 
that  the  atmosphere  of  Charleston  does  not  quite  agree  with 
this  season.  Everybody  remarks  how  much  Mesh  and  color  Y<>M 
have  lost  within  a  month.  My  anxiety  in  your  behalf  make* 
me  resolute  that  you  shall  change  the  air.  I  have  brought  you 
a  passport,  accordingly,  giving  you  permission  to  retire  to  tin- 
country,  whither  you  will  please  depart  within  the  next  twenty- 
four  hours.  You  had  better  go  to  the  Congarees  —  anywhere,  not 
within  eighty  miles  of  the  city." 

The  beautiful  widow,  for  once,  was  overwhelmed. 

"What  do  you  fear?"  she  at  length  demanded,  impetu 
ously. 

"Your  health,  your  beauty,  your  spirits,  all  of  which  are  in 
peril  while  vou  remain  here." 

She  would  have  expostulated  and  argued,  even  promised  and 
pleaded,  for  she  was  \\illing,  at  this  moment,  to  submit  to  some 
sacrifices,  to  make  some  concessions  of  pride  and  spirit,  but  in 
vain!  The  petty  tyrant  was  not  to  be  moved,  and,  with  a 
Parthian  arrow,  she  prepared  for  her  departure. 

"  1  could  have  looked  for  nothing  less  from  such  ns  you.  The 
want  of  gallantry  and  grace  is  always  the  sure  sign  of  an  equal 

want  of  character  and  courage.     (Lionel  Balfmir,  I  am  encour- 

by  your  fears,  since  these  alone  expel  me.  from  your  gar 
.  Well,  sir,  the  fortress  which  thus  apprehends  danger 
from  a  woman  must  surely  first  have  become  conscious  of  the 
worthlessness  of  its  men." 

"Ah!  madam,  you  will  then  give  me  no  v'redit  for  the  sym 
pathy  and  care  which  are  thus  mindful  of  your  health.  We 
•hall  greatly  miss  you  from  the  garrigoii,  but  shall  find  ootisola 


.\\  the  fact  that   \\  IMTI  vm    <•    • 

i    all    your    1.1. ...ID    ;ui«!    heauty. 
.t  slial!  atttMni  yi.ii  t..  the  •  Four-mile  HO,; 

Her    iepartii;'  .    our   rm,  -'what 

disc  their    hopes    and    efforts.        B  f  them,    • 

lii»;!  '  .Mod    in    consultation    at    ..1  1    T,  • 

when    Proctor   suddenly  presented    himself. 

him  ai'.ne,  in    an    upper   apartment,  and    did    not    now  tako    him 
D  to  the  vaulted  fhainl.fr  \\hitli.  ;    ;iiicd  him  ..n  .1 

-ion.     T1  .  rd    Iiini    hurriedly,  and 

e  alinijit::-  him 

repeate  l!y.  \\ c   may  l.-crc  mention,  in  interviews  which 
not  ;  Oft      Tl.e  : 

i-Mialusions.  whicl 

"1'rvor,"  It-ton,  ••  has  done  all   that    1.- 

:'tidavits  whii  '  :red,  and  '  i-s86i 

ming.      1'ut,  from  all  that   I  can  see  and  ' 

they  will 

r.rdiour    .  ]  "U,  and    l:e  is  \vi-l! 

I,  \';iULrha:i.      What    ti.. 

\i\  the  alVair  "t    '.  :aij;lit    he    met  an-i   . 

that  alone  the  .liiliculty  ;  —  l.ut  \  un- 

haji; 

tii.n.  ti,.'  evi  lence  «»f  ^'•  D  an-!  of  you 

•«-r  than  r 

v    from    the    jjarrivm,    and 
mount  1  lina." 

••What!    >ir.  .-my  —  not  stand   this  trial  I  ' 

"  By  no  nir 

"I:  '    my  honor  ! " 

D  not  con  .urnolf.  liouiul   hand  And 

foot,  into  the  han  i 

UN    shook    his    head    mournfully,  and 

Singleton  with  the  papers    f»i   f  1    finding 

manner  of  the    laf  'lent,  he  : 

to  t 

tlli    appeal  a  ay    the 


4HO  KATH. \RI\F    WALTON. 

a-as  unclosing  for  the  egress  of  Proctor,  of  his  supposed  loyalipt 
acquaintance)  Fumess. 

Proctor  was  really  rejoiced  to  see  him,  and  old  Singleton  dis 
quieted.  A  sqiipp/p  of  the  hand  with  tlie  latter,  and  a  word  or 
two,  as  it  were,  to  remind  him  that  he.  was  youn»  Fnrness,  son 
>f  ultl  Furness,  whom  he  ought  to  know  BO  well,  and  the  par 
:  turned  away  with  Pn.cJur,  saying  to  Singleton  that  he 
would  see  him  again  within  the  hour.  The  old  man  replied, 
vniffly  — 

'  Bettor  see  your  friend  out  of  the  city,  and  take  care,hoth  of 
that  no  one  sees  your  hacks  unless  heyond  cannon  distance." 

With  these  words,  he  closed  the  door  upon  them,  and  returned 
t"  his  guests  in  the  cellar. 

Fumes*,  or  rather  Singleton,  soon  told  his  story  to  Proctor, 
P.K  he  had,  within  two  hours,  told  it  to  Balfour.  Ho  professed  to 
have  been  taken  by  Marion's  men  at  the  defeat  of  Lieutenant 
Meadows'  escort,  and  had  just  succeeded  in  making  his  escape 
from  captivity. 

Such  was  the  substance  of  bis  narrative.  Of  course,  Le 
revealed  as  little  as  possible  to  his  companion,  being  moic 
anxious  to  hear  him  speak  than  to  say  anything  himself.  The 
details  given  by  Proctor,  in  answer  to  his  inquiries,  unfolded 
fully  the  condition  of  affairs  in  the  city,  his  own  approaching 
ti'ial,  with  that  of  Colonel  "Walton,  and  the  charges  brought 
:Mst  both.  Singleton  soon  gathered  from  the  statement,  in 
Proctor's  own  case,  that  he  stood  in  an  attitude  of  serious  dan 
ger,  lie  did  not  hesitate  ti.  give  him  the  same  counsel  whirl) 
had  been  given  by  old  Tom  Singleton.  Proctor  was  unwilling 
•e  the  matter  in  so  gloomy  a  light  ;  but  was  evidently  deeply 
Oppressed  by  what  he  heard. 

"In  a  few  daw,"  Said  Singleton,"!  hope  to  leave  for  t'  e 
mountains  myself'as  soon  as  I  shall  ha',  e  proem  ed  some  neu 
supplies  from  the  commandant  ;  and  if  you  will  onlv  (-tea 
awav  before  that  time,  and  meet  me  on  the  road,  we  can  find  j 
fafe  retreat  for  von  until  yon  can  be  sure  of  a  proper  tribunal 
and  honest  :  Think  <>f  this  matter  to-night,  and  do  nt 

deceive   yourself.     There    is   eviden'ly  ,i  -,d  strong  pui 

pose,  on  the  part  of  Balfour,  to  destroy  you  ;   and,  unfortunately, 


LLO, 

eircun.  :.iiu  all  th. 

i  soon  t<.  nu>rn>\v  —  nay.  if  you  will   nive  m«-  a  part  of  your 
l>ed,  I  will  sleep  with  yon   lo-niirlit.  -lit    no 

quail 

!y;    and    1  ve    liii:i    : 

where  to  tind  him.     '1  and  Sinirleton  imin«-«iia!ely  liur- 

ick  to  his  kinsman.     Hi-  conferred  with  him  for  ten  or  fifteen 
mimit.  .11   that   ha  ;  :id  nil  th;: 

then  proceeded  t»  186  Katharine,  whom  h-  unter. 

She   tl.:  neck   a-  ihfl    n ••  <  >i:.ii/«  d  him.  | 

claimed  — 

>u  peril  everything  for  mr  —  for  him1    Tell  r 
you  save  him  airainv  " 

"  I    have    coat  and    try,  Katharine.  ne    knows 

yet    \\  i.  iv    achievt-.      A-    y.-i.    I     know    hut    li 

condition    and    hi-    dani:«-r-.     Sit,    dearest,    and    you   shall    tell    me 
all." 

iid  so  — nil  that  she  knew.  frit,  u 
did  the  -.iiii'-.      <  Mir  partisan  shudiie:  i 
was  Do  :ie  in  which  a  troop  of 

•ichirv.-  del;  I        he  did   n->t    Miller    hU  gravity   t«> 

"Ob  l*  ta  i 

\Vr  mu-t   imt  d<  'ijat  will   n. 

Me.      I   iii';-t    hurry  <  0  i  must 

-uni'    oth.-r    partiru  I   I    can    1. 

I    will  try  to  see  you    in  the  morning,  !>ut  mu^t   n 
You     reiiu-inher    that    I     am     still     < 

This,  fur  tin-  tirnr.  ended    tin-::  ami   the  i:. 

•i  hurried  otT  01  •  see  his  ancient  kin-man.      ^ 

not  ask  they  discussed,  as,  for  the  tin  iission 

was  without   result.     Knouiih.  that  the  m<  ie  our   partisan  became 

the  caM-  in  the  affair  of  Walton,  tl,< 

did  its  dangers  loom  out  upon  his  imagination.     When  old  Singleton 
appri/.ed  him  of  the  t«Tins  oiT.T,  .1  !i\    I'-  :'.foiir  for  t!, 
ton.  he  wa-  -  with  a  bullet.     These  had  l»een  suppressed  by 


. 

-Can  it  bo  mie  !"  he  i-xi-:..  -peech 

"•Then,  it'  we,  fail  to  rescue  him,  Katharine  will  consent." 

"Never!"  cried  the  old  man,  fiercely. 

"She  must  '  She  <jin  not  avoid  it  !"  was  the  mournful  repl) 
:>f  F.obert  Singleton  "I  shall  deplore  the  necessity  more  thar 
all  perhaps,  hut  it  /nil  be  a  necessity,  m  vert  he 

When  told  of  the  oath  prescribed  by  Walton  to  his  dau<Ji:c:. 
he  exclaimed  — 

"Ah,   th-    same    magnanimous    spirit    and    true    heart!      JJut. 
should   ilie    last    necessity     ./«cur,  evil    that    oath  will    not. 
niu-ht  not  to  bind  her." 

*  Would  you   have  her  many  thai   *eoun<lrel  /" 

'   She  must  .save  her  father,  even  at  -hat  sacrifice  !" 

"  Never!" 

11  Hush,  sir  !      Hush  !      'i'lks  is  all  idle." 

We  need  not  pursue  the  nnproiitabU  dialogue.  It  was  Lite 
when  t*he  parties  separated  ;  but  Singleton,  or  Furness  now, 
found  Proctor  waiting  him  with  anxiety.  'I'hey  sat  up  late  to- 

Br,  these    youni:  men.  making    their  mutual  revelations. 
Mch«W\ng  the  cud  of  sweet  an.',  bitter    thought."      Our  pa;: 
continued    to    persuade    his    companion    to    a    secret    and    swiit 
departure  from  the  city;    but  with  no  BUCtt 

"No!"  was  the  rejily  of  Pnu  tor.  "  Though  1  jirrish,  1  will 
"ever,  bv  such  a  Bight,  give  countenance  tn  the  slander  tb;il 
assails  my  honor." 

Karly  next  morning,  both  of  them  were  abroad.  Soon  after 
KlaM.  Furnr>>  found  his  way  to  the  presence  of  liall'our. 
We.  have  already  mentioned  hi.s  communication  with  the  latter 
the  day  before.  It  will  sutlice  to  say  that  he  pivr  the  eniii- 
mandant  a  full  and  satisfactory  account  of  all  his  adventures,  as 
a  loyalist,  from  the  moment  when  he  set  out  with  the  BflCOll 
Meadows.  Halfour  had  no  complaints  of  Furness  in  this  I 

.     On  the  contrary,  baling  hia  judgment  upon  the   fa\i-r 

able,  but  singularly  mistaken,  report  of  Meadows,  he  WU 
to  bestow  a  lii^h   compliment    upon    the    fidelity  and    desp. 
courage  which  the,  former    had    displayed.      In    fact,  the  loyal. .-i 
captain   was   in    a    fail    way  to    become   a    favorite    with    Halfour 
The  p'ufound  deference  of  the  provincial  was  particularly  p 


till  to  tli<  'in  ->t  the  puiie-i-up 

:u  oj    ln.s  n\vn   ami    puldir    alia;i>.  until,  -it    K-- 
»i  NValti'M  WMS  hronirht   upon   tin-  carpet      ii 
full  parftV-ulars  of  i  <-ry  attentive  ,-i-idit. 

ir  ea  f  dink-nit  t«>  restrain  tic  exhibitions  of  h, 

and    keep    them  within    the    limits    of   simple   cur 
?uddenlv  clappfl   I'1: 

•ain.  yi'U    ait-    tin-    vt-ry  man  t«>  » 

•!i:it   I  can  'i".  riil.mrl  f" 

•i  can  do  much.      V"ii    shall    \  ;>it  Walton    m    * 
-hall  h>t  him  know  lm\v  h«;  'ii«»n 

'n  tlu«  l.a.-k  country.     Toil   »hall   cep  MI  all  the  d 

-naili-  him  «>!'  the  D(  f  1'nll  suh; 

,, he    ili>tr>;-t«.    me  —  ami  will   iluulit    all    tin 

..\vn  |M'.»jiK-.  who  knows  the  inti 
.-.-in  rejM.j-t  truly  h  hnil.l  on, 

• 

Uujjiter.  an<l  '  3e  !iim  t«.  BUcl  -iiall 

lire  in  return  l-.r  I.      panlon.      I  am  IP 
him  these  tlni.'^s.      1   j.n«v«.ke    1. 

that    I  do  n..t 

'  use   my  jn.wei  nn<?  tnl,  if,  tnr- 
i  will  rej.  u-t  t«.  him  also  th  .' 

D  what   1  <1   I 

.    in  the  v 
It'ton    |ia-:  In    -uji].!-.- 

,  wlien  told  that  he  Iff  Walton  in    hifl 

.iui!'_' 

"  1   will  do  it,  colonel  !       I   will  do  what   von  ltM}1UF6.        I 

.f   I  can  ;   hut  I  am    .-1:1 

likely  to  I'^ten    to  me.  a  loy:ili>t.  ;ts    t,,   i!. 

1  am — " 

••  I'  M,h  !      ]>ooh  !        You    di-tnM 
Y"«i  are  Only   ' 

:d.   than  ped  :     l-ut     1     l 

and    net  •  '     '    •   '       '  •    ! 
w,dl.   I   !•••  1   \  .TV  certain.       Ii 


434  KATHARINE    WAI.TOX. 

for  your  admission  to  Walton.  You  will  go  to  him  tonight,  after 
his  daughter  shall  have  left  him,  or  to-morrow  night  —  that  will  be 
better,  when  he  shall  have  undergone  his  trial,  and  been  made  awav 
of  his  sentence.  To-morrow  evening  dooms  him  to  the  gallows 
y«»u  will  insist  upon  the  only  measure  by  which  to  save  him  from  it. 
Do  you  understand  ?  " 

"Perfectly.  I  will  see  him  to-night  and  prepare  him  for  the 
danger,  and  to-morrow,  when  what  I  have  predicted  shall  have 
been  realized,  he  will,  perhaps,  be  better  able  to  appreciate  his 
situation." 

"Meanwhile,  I  shall  work  upon  the  daughter.  Do  /our  part 
faithfully,  and  it  is  odds  but  we  carry  the  game.  But  where-  are  you 
lodging  ? " 

"  Nowhere,  exactly.  Last  night  Major  Proctor,  whom  I  met  at 
Dorchester,  gave  me  a  bed  at  his  lodgings." 

• '  Ha !    Beware  of  him !    He  is  a  traitor ! " 

"He!    Major  Proctor!" 

"What!  You  have  not  heard?  He  is  about  to  be  tried 
also,  for  offences  which  will  drive  him  from  the  army  or  hang 
him.  Beware  of  him  ;  but  continue  to  lodge  with  him,  if  he  will 
suffer  you.  You  can  keep  an  eye  on  him.  Eh  ?  You  under- 
Marnl  ?" 

"  I  do !    I  see !    It  shall  be  done ! " 

'  What  are  you  doing  with  yourself  to-day?  Nothing?  Then 
diive  out  at  twelve  o'clock  to  Ilampstead — the  'field  of  honor;' 
anybody  will  tell  you  where  to  find  it.  There  is  to  be  a  duel 
to  day  between  two  hot  bloods  of  the  garrison,  about  a  lady's  favors 
.Mad  Arehy  Campbell,  who  captured  Colonel  Walton,  a  regular  dare 
devil,  and  Captain  Harley,  of  the  rifles,  who  is  said  to  be  a  fir. 
They  tight  with  the  small-sword.  It  will  be  a  pretty  passage,  and 
you  will  be  delighted.  Your  presence  will  be  no  objection.  There 
will  be  several  spectators." 

"  Hut  do  you  suffer  such  affairs  ?" 

"I  do  not  see  them.  I  hear  of  them  only  when  all's  over,  and 
then  arrive  at  nothing  positive.  I  only  see  when  I  am  not  dispo^-d 
to  suffer  them.  In  this  case,  there  are  reasons  why  I  should  not  see. 
Do  you  go,  and  report  to  me  the  affair." 

"I  shall  be  there,  colonel.     I  shall  be  pleased  to  see." 


DUBLLO. 

,    round, 

rake    j.l-  You 

*"W  you  will 

•;t  hoi;i«.  tlu'i-e,  at  that  li.nir,  any  day  in  t! 
iHadly    availed    himself  of   Knlfoni'-  ,,n    ^o 

lad.      He    rode  «.ut  with   1'rortor.  who    pn.rured  t«.r  him 
having  made  liis  appearance  in  the  citv  \\ith- 
I!-    precaution    had    stahled    !  Ted.  \\  ith  the 

0  i.f  his  heM  ;r.M.j,,')s.  a:id  in  tlioir  keeping,  within 
miles  of  town,  in  a  <•!••:  <>  thirkct.  not  tar  from  the  Gooae 
i;  road. 

•  c!^  already  upon    the    ground.      Tin* 
en    in    tiiat  day  for  Mich    pi  u  lnit  a  little 

aiiii-i  a  dump  «.f  niip^lin^  ; 
nail    hea«iland    on    the    hanks  of'  th»» 
Hither    BOOn    ranie    tin-    t\\..    n,inl.;!tant>.  att. 
:  al    friend.-,  a    COO]  nd    a<    n: 

';i^  wraa  tiien  M  \\m\-,  in  tin-  same  n-^ioii.  a  ird^rn; 

•;      .       I'.nt    it  wa>  then    un  allair  «.t 
.••iitly  now.  an  allair  of  maliiv.     Tlie  .s-.!':ritude 

amply  —  to  maintain  t!  itfifnde.      '•  ;lg6« 

vindicfi\ . 

:   chivalry  -sage  at  arms  betv 

.-  IIM-II  ;    and    t  til    advantages,  in  }'P°" 

nei;t.  wa>    a!'.1  :ully,  hut    tenaci"Uslv  urged 

•iie  jiarties.  even  al't«-i    wcapc,],-,  had  heen  - 
Sin^h -t -n  observed  the  seen.-  with  much  intn.-:        !!• 
liim.-elt  upon  hi.s   own  swordmajiship.  and  ant;> 

:it.      '1'lie    par  I'oth  tine  looking  i 

Arrliy  Camphidl  was  in  tin- 

•f"  miiitai  \  .  in    the    :  -lemanly 

'a>h'  m  "t    the  time       8l 
Hai  -:d  as  a  n. 

and.  tinder    the    direction    «>t    Stock. 
phell    threw    ..fl'    his    i4)at.    \. 

>pi-ct;itc' 

gainenters   of  tli«-    on-kpit.  lav^'-iy    i  • 

But.  the j    *«-re    all    dehtiur.:  ;...intinen;         : 


436  KATIlAlUXK    WALTON. 

honor"  in  that  day  did  not  deny  such  a  conclusion  r  )  the  atfaii 
as  that  which  followed.  When  all  WHS  expectation,  the.  friend 
of  Harley  stepped  toward  and  demanded  ol'  Stock,  loudly 
enough  for  everybody  to  hear  — 

"Is  it  true,  Major  Stock,  that  your  principal  it;  married  '{" 

"  The  devil  !  Yes  !  But  what  a  question  !  True,  to  he  sure 
it  is" — then,  not  to  t  <>ce  —  "  and  the  worse  for  me  !  But" — aloud 
—  "what  has  this  marriage  to  do  with  the  hush;. 

••  A  great  deal,  sir."  replied  the  other,  "as  we  will  show  you 
hen-after.  ( )ne  other  question  :  is  it  true  that  your  principal  ie 
married  to  Miss  Paulina  Phelps  f 

"  Certainly,  sir.  It  is  to  Miss  Paulina  Phelps  thai  Major 
Archibald  Campbell  is  inanied." 

"Then,  sir,  we  withdraw  our  invitation  to  the  field.  It  is  not 
our  policy  or  principle  to  fight  with  a  gentleman  on  hehalf  of 
his  own  wife  ;  and,  indeed,  we  conceive  that,  in  marrying  the 
offender,  she  has  preierred  a  mode,  and  perhaps  the  best,  of 
punishing  linn  for  his  offences  to  herself.  "We  repeat  that  our 
challenge  is  withdrawn  upon  the  original  grounds;  hut  without 
the  assertion  of  any  claim  on  our  part  that  the  duel  should  not 
go  on.  It  is  with  the  defendant  to  say  whether  he  will  suffer 
us  to  quit  the  field." 

This  was  said  with  a  profound  gravity,  and  with  the  stateli 
necs  of  a  tli^lomntc.  A  hearty  laugh  followed  from  Campbell. 

••To    he   sure,"  said    he,  "  1    consent;    hut    on   one    condition, 
that  Captain  Harley  and    his  companions  dine  with   me  and  my 
to-day.      Kxpecting   to    he    hurt    in   the   encounter  with   so 
-wordsnian,  1    ordered   a   good   dinner,  in    order  that  my 
friends    should    not    behold    my  sufferings  without    some   conso 
lation." 

The  parties  embraced  ;  and  thus  ended  an  affair  of  honor  of 
the   eiglaeenth    century.       Stock   seemed   the    only    person    not 
-tied  with  the   arrangement       He  said,  with  an  affectation  of 
disappointment  — 

"  h's  too  provoking  !  1  was  in  hopes  that  Harley  would  have 
given  you  your  quietus,  and  then  1  should  have  saved  my 
guineas." 

"Not  so."  cried  Campbell.     "I    prepared  against  that,  and 


DUELLO, 


left  pr.  ,lrl)t  in  tl. 

the  claim,  if  only  that  >hr  iniirht   have   in    h 

:Ilt." 

:  eilcd  t<»  your  escape  and  safety,"  i 


438  KATHARINE  WALTON. 


CHAPTER    XLIX. 

THE    PLOT. 

THE  rest  of  the  day  was  employed  by  Singleton,  the  partisan, 
with  the  assistance  of  tried  friends  in  the  city,  procuring  cer 
tain  implements  for  the  use  of  Colonel  Walton  in  prison.  The 
permit  which  enabled  him,  as  Furness,  the  loyalist,  to  have  free 
access  to  the  prisoner,  offered  him  an  opportunity  -quite  too  im 
portant  to  be  foregone.  He  accumulated  tiles,  acids,  and  a  rope- 
ladder,  and  took  them  to  him  that  very  night,  after  Katharine 
had  left  the  prison.  We  may  take  for  -minted  that  he  urged  none 
of  the  arguments  to  Walton  which  Balfour  had  put  into  his 
mouth. 

The  next  day  Walton's  trial  came  on  — if  that  may  be  (ailed  a 
trial  which  examined  no  witnesses.  Conviction  and  sentence  were 
Ol  OOUne;  and  the  prisoner  was  remanded  to  his  dungeon 
with  the  assurance  that  he  would,  in  four  day-,  expiate  his  offences 
to  the  crown  upon  the  gallows.  He  heard  his  doom  with  a  calm 
and  fearless  spirit,  indignantly  protested  against  the  mockery  of 
v.hieh  he  had  just  g.me  through,  and  appealed  to  the  arms 
of  his  country  for  the  punishment  of  those  who  should  shed  his  blood 
under  such  a  sentence.  Scarcely  was  the  examination  over,  when 
Balfour  au-ain  waited  upon  Katharine.  He  WM  the  first  to  report 
the  decision  of  the  court. 

"  Your  father's  life  is  in  your  own  hands.  Miss  Walton." 

"  Mercy1,  mercy!"  she  shrieked,  falling  before  him. 
•  Hoon  for  boon,  prayer  for  prayer,  mercy  for  mercy  —  love  for 

She  held  up  her  hands,  pleading  dumbly. 

we   both   live.  Katharine    Walton,  UICM-   are  the  only  condi 
tions'."  he  answnvd, 


Til 

i>l  l.-iy  without  siirn  of  !•: 

face.       I!  her  up  in  alarm,  and   (all.-,! 

She  hurried  in  and  relieved  him  of  hi<  burden. 

"  Wll.v    ''"'    you     li: 

your  work  i-lTectually.   for    the    present     at    fettl 
.MI.  if  you    pl».:is«».       It   will    • 

An  oath    rose    to    I:  -.vhieh    ]„.  f,,,,n«l    ;• 

clirticult     to     suppress       II.     wlzed     1 
disappeared.  with,,ut    <ayini:    a    wi.nl.      II urn  in-    t..    th,- 
he  left   in.xtnirtioi-.s  there  that    Mi.,   \\  ,;•  ,. 

admitted    t,.    |  ,-lier.       T!  -ness 

for  her  f:elini:s  ai  thy  with    her   <ituat:  in  truth. 

tl«f   I>"li'  'ated   l.y  |  \    upon   ],.  • 

fcar<     to  make  I»«T  feel,   in  era 

and   entire  wa<  hi-   pon  •i\vl)i!e.  tie 

pla<  e  wen    mOTfng.       A    memorial    in    behalf   ol 

:-an-.l    and    >iiriu-.l     l.y    all     U 
whi.ir  inhahitantv      >evrral  of    th- 
signatur. 

nt.d    it.    ;.,!.!    the    petition    u 

f   those    presenting    it.       It    \\a-   wiih-.ut   c:1 
The  f    IJ.-dfou: 

ral    Williamson    that    lie 
the   • 

"What  '"said   litilfour.     "You.   too,  gcner;.  .11  so  soon 

i    your  own    recent    e«-ape   from   tlie  dutches  of  this  insolent 

and  it  is  tliix  reedHeetion  that  now  ;  'reaty. 

H    that,  hut   for   the  inu-r|Misiii,,M  Ol 

whieh    v;iv,d    inr    from    th.    tender    mercies    ,,f    his   sulM.rdi-  1 

should   rertainly  luive  tasted  of   the  terrible  do«,m  whieh  n,,\v  threat- 

:m." 

"  And    whieh  he  mn*t  sufTor  '"  wa 
public  safety  require-  thi<  m 
the  punishincnt  of  -«>me  «>f 

That  day   Half«»ur  took   lii-  .limn  r  a!,.n,-   a»    hi-   .marter,.   dining 
at   a    lati-    hour,    and    after   many    fatisrucs  and   61 


440  K. \niAiiiNK  WALTON. 

to  a  mind  like  his.  \\ ere  nor  ii;;iii:\ed  with  plea.Mire.  11  u  a.* 
rioting  in  power.  He  \v;is  not  without  a  hope  ->f  realizing  hi* 
most  selfish  objects.  At  length,  he  had  persuaded  the  people 
of  Charleston,  and  Katharine  W.-.ltmi  in  particular,  of  the  ear 
nest  purpose,  which  he  entertained.  .She,  at  length,  felt  that 
her  father's  life  was  really  in  danger.  She  had  already  begun 
to  seek  and  to  sue,  in  tears  and  gloomy  apprehension:  She  had 
paid  him  a  visit,  in  order  to  obtain  pel-mission  to  see  her  father 
again;  a  privilege  which,  as  we  have  MTU,  lie  hail  that  day  dc 
nied.  He  had  avoided  her,  and  he  conjectured  the  extent  ol 
her  agonv.  floating  over  hi>  *nti\  iciions,  liG  ilrank  lively  of 
his  Madeira  and  was  airrauy  at  tin-  close  of  hi*  least,'  when  Al 
fred  Momkton  made  his  appearance  from  the  adj.-iniisg  room 
v/here  he  wrote,  and  communicated  the  arrival  of  Major  VnughuL' 
from  Dorchester.  He  had  been  .summoned  down  to  attend  ;hr 
trial  of  Proctor,  which  was  assigned  for  the  imbuing  day. 

••  Send  him  here,"  said  Bal.'our,  and  Vaunhan  was  in.stamly 
ushered  into  the  presence  of  the  potentate. 

"You   are   welcome,    Vaughan,  doubly    welcome    at    th: 
.ueiit.      Sit,  and  fill   yourself  a   glass.      We    are    at    the    harv,-,' 
jme  at  last." 

"  Yeo,  colonel,  and  a  full  harve.st  shall  we  have  of  it.  1  brin^1 
you  news  which  shall  strengthen  the  evidence  against  this  arch 
traitor." 

"  Ah,  indeed  !      The    more   the    merrier,   though    we    M 
,iee«l  it.      We    have  quite    enough  in    jhis  late   affair,  for   hi.-  f'i». 
conviction.      But  what's  your  news  ?" 

"  Such  as  will  startle  you.  You  remember  the  fellow  that 
,»alm<»(l  himself  oil'  upon  yon  as  Captain  Furness  of  the  loyal 
ist  riller»  ?" 

•'  Vex      Well,  was  he  not  what  he  called  himself/" 
••  No,  indeed  !      He  was  n-i  other  than  the  rebel,  Colonel  Sin 
_-leton,  of  Marion's  brigade  !" 

••What!"  cried  Balfour  Parting  to  hi.-  feet.  "  How  knew 
vou  this  1" 

"  By  the  true  Captain  Furness  himself,  who  has  j-ist  68 
from  the  guard  assigned  for    hi>  Bftfc-koephlg  among    tl 
He  made  bis  \vay  to  the  post  at   I>.»:clu:ate.r,  and   ha>  C.MU.- 


•    t\Vll          I    li;i\  .  .        '  •   . 

fri'in  yon  t»  i:;- 

the   L»rd    Harry,  hut    th'iH  \»   excellent! 

\ml  1'roctor  knew  him  at   I)ondn  • 

••  Intimately  !" 

M  A*'l  the}   are    intimate    t<>.  re.  at    this   moment,  and 

KT!i;       '  .me  Iml^i: 

"  lii'!rrd  !    thiMi  \vc  have  them  !       /.' 

"  Here  !      hen    !     ami    llie    n-l'«-l    !i;-> 
Shall  lie  n<'t  s\v'm^  !      Hut  hi  ing  in    th<  .  A  .  <• 

;re  !      II: 

:.;].,  in,  liriii^j   him    in  ! 
lover,  far  1 

•tliipj; 

it  j'ui 
Init    the  life  of  one,    ami    h» 

B        rett     lit  u  ;.< 

•han    ret;  :  «  --        M, 

ter,  hut   \\ 

tone,  the  <  \\int* 

;  imjiatient    Halt.T.i 

* 

vanity,  at  :  iiis  ilt»- 

tenni:: 

;un.  in  tl.-- 

had  unfolded  hinisi-lf  t«.  the  hJij-[-  ami  hitt. 

how  mu'-li  material  !'••.  ••rn  and  : 

mil-t   ha  •  -d  to  the    ; 

u-ith  the  reflection  ,  '  y  tht- 

ruddv  juices  which  he  drank,  and. 

. lined,  in  f  thunder — 

Shall  h  as    lii^l,  u 

llama 


442  KATIIAKTXK    \VALTOX. 

"And  you  say  that  he  is  here  — here  now  within  (lie  city?" 
demanded  Vaughan. 

"Ay,  Indeed  !  and  a  lodger  with  that  other  traitor  of  our  own, 
John  Proctor." 

"  Then  we  have  them  both  ! " 

"  Ay,  indeed  !  in  the  same  net !  They  shall  pay  for  their 
audacity." 

"Should  you  not  seize  them  at  once,  colonel  ? '' 

"  Ay,  indeed  !  "  —  rising—  "  I  will  see  to  it.  Here,  Mr.  Monck- 
ton." 

The  secretary  appeared  at  the  entrance. 

"But,  no  !  "  said  Balfour,  resuming  his  scat,  and  tilling  his  glas* 
anew.  "You  may  go,"  said  he  to  Monckton.  "  IV*  the  bottle, 
Major  Vaughan,  to  Captain  Furncss.  I  have  a  better  plan  lor 
making  this  arrest  We  arc  probably  watched.  Any  movement,  at 
this  moment,  were  I  to  send  a  guard  to  Proctor's  lodging^,  and 
Singleton  not  happen  to  be  there,  might  only  give  him  warning,  and 
enable  him  to  make  his  ex-ape." 

"HOW  Can  that  be?  Issue  orders  in  advance,  that  no  one  leave 
the  city,  and  strengthen  the  guards  along  the  li 

"Ah!  Vaughan,  that  would  only  make  the  matter  v 
The  city  is  full  of  traitors.  They  have  their  emissaries  every 
where,  and  communicate  with  the  enemy  by  means  of  the  winds, 
I  believe,  for  there's  no  finding  out  the  process  exactly.  Hut  it 
is  fortunate  that  my  very  confidence  in  this  rebel  Sin-lcton 
me  the  means  for  securing  him,  if  we  make  no  stir,  and  do 
not  alarm  his  apprehensions.  He  is  to  vNit  Walton  to-night,  at 
eight  o'clock,  in  the  provost.  TJtere,  we  have  him.  lie  will  scarcely 
fail  to  be  there  ;  tru*  there  last  night,  and  made  me  quite  a  glowing 
report,  this  morning,  of  what  he  had  done  toward  convincing 
Walton  of  the  necessity  of  making  submi—ion,  and  doing  what  is 
required  of  him." 

"What  is  that,  sir?" 

"Oh,  sir.  a  matter  of  state,  which"  —  looking  a-kant  at  the 
loyalist —  "  iiee.l  ii, ,t  be  dwelt  upon.  It  is  <-n<»ugh  that  the  rebel 
will  seek  Walton  again  to-night  in  his  dungeon.  I  am  now 
satMie.1  that  he  will  do  so  with  the  view  of  facilitating  his 
escape.  Against  that,  we  will  guard.  Hut  we  will  take  him  in 


THE    PLOT. 

.ho  toil.x.       \\>    have  this    fellow  of    iVortor's.     I"hii.    C 

on  the  heels  of  his  master.      I  will  have  him  lion-,  ami  command 

his  watch    uj>on  loth,  and,  t'Miijrht    \«m    >!:.ii 

L'nard,    to    arrest    him    in  Walton'.-    dungeon.      HOW  d«»  y  «    ivl 

ish  the  service  ?" 

14 Command  me,  ^ir,'    eagerly. 

"Ami  you,  Captain    Fnrness,  will  have  no  sort  of  objection  t- 
change  jilacos  with  yonr  late   captor  —  t-  'tin 

i:.to  limlio  ?" 

•  No*  a  Int.  colonel  !" 

"  Verv  good  !      Let  us  make  <>   "  arra1./  -im  ills.** 
The    plan    was   ilevise.l.      Tim    detail,  which    were    full; 
::iate  to  the  object,  need  nut  concern  n».      Kmm^li  that 
Van^han.and  the  loyalist,  were  all  wanned  with  a  ti^er  aji;- 
!'..»•   the    hlood    of  the  victim,  whicl.'   c«>nld 

wliicli  determined  not  b>  nnve  unril  i:  I'-ul-i  U 
certainty.     W«'  mav  add  that  rmi-t«.r's  tread 
.John,  was  MH»M  p»it  in  rcMjuisition,  ami  counselle«l  t"  iepc.it  e«( 
.,!)  the  movements  .,f  Singleton  M  uell  U  tho» 

When,  at  the  rli»M-  ..f  the  COllfi 
Alfi'       '  ttOO  was  a-a:n  called  for.  he  had 

.u.  to  din    .  was  the  9DSW9X  ot  tl:e 

had  just  letunied  from  b'8 


EATUAiliXl-J     WALTON. 


CHAPTER    XLV1I1 

THK    ror.NTKR    PLOT 

R\l,ynt  u,   filled   witli    excitement    and    w5ih\  had    spoke. i    :, 
i<-,;der  accents  thin  were  necessary,  and   Mnnckton  liearJ  »\ 

.  He  was  at  once  stniv..v  with  tue  importance  of  the  m  \\ 
er,  not  only  to  Proctor  —  with  whose  f;»te  lie  deeply  syni- 
nathized  on  account  of  his  sister  —  but  to  Singleton,  in  wli.ix 
behalf  he  felt  a  rising  interest,  in  consequence  of  his  intiiiKiry 
with  Kathatine  Walton,  which  had  duly  ripened  with  that  of 
Klla  Monekton.  We  have  seen  how  lar^e  was  the  influence 
which  his  si.ster  possessed  over  him,  and  how  small  was  that  of 
Hallbur.  The  latter  he  regarded  with  positive  antipathy,  the 
consequence  of  the  tyrannous  and  wanton  insolence  of  the  com 
mandant,  which  he  seldom  forbore  to  exercise.  Should  he  suriei 
these  two  noble  young  men  to  become  his  victims  ?  Should  he. 
:-e,  to  the  sister  whom  he  loved  that  intelligence,  the  timely 
use  of  which  nii^lit  save  them  —  a  result  so  precious  to  her  de 
sires  and  best  afiections  ?  lie  had  not  strength  for  this.  His 
conscieiKM'  reproached  him  with  the  betrayal  of  his  emph-' 
secrets;  but  his  will  was  not  Sufficiently  potent  to  sutler  him  to 
keep  them  when  the  safety  of  such  dear  interests  counselled 
their  revelation.  The  stru<r^le  in  his  mind  was  a  very  brief  one 
With  ea-rer  agitation,  he  revealed  the  whole  afi'air  to  Klla,  with 
all  the  resolutions  which  had  been  adopted  by  the  commandant, 
',  he  particular  means  to  be  employed  for  the  capture  ot  Sin- 
{jletoii.  She  was  overwhelmed  at  the  danger  which  threatened 
'he  man  she  loved  and  the  lover  of  her  friend. 

"Alfred."  said    she.  "you    must  jjo  to  Kate   this  very  inon:'-:i< 
ami  tell  her  everv  ^vlbible." 


•    "  Impossible!     I  niu>t   hurry  back  thi-  or  a 

as  I  have  swallowed  my  dinner.      I  am  ' 

re  1  n-turii.  it  will  IM-  only  U-cause  Balfour  has  st.v 
another  bottle." 
••  Thru  1  mu-' 
And   with    that   calm,  but   unyiYMiiiir  energy  which   was  charac- 

thc  in .1>U-  girl   at   once  hurried  off  t< 
dwelling  ..f   Mr-.   Sin-l.-ton.   while  her  brother.  trembling   with  a 

•  •I'  wrong,  hastened  bat 
.vrctary-hip. 

'.ton   was  absent:  and.    in  an  agoi  MMHI. 

•  Mrs.  Singleton.     Tin-  old    lady  was 

.^ly  alan- 
••  They  ii.  UMllM   Mi  : 

r  in  season  to   pn-vent  :  kO  find   hit 

v  <  hild- 
that    is  ii.-ct -x>:iry  !••  IK-  said  —  to  Tom  Sin.Lrleton.      Fortuna' 

f..r    hi-    trip  lie    will 

find  him,  and  carry  the  l.-tti-r  siMy.     Thi-  i-  "iir  only  chance." 

.  ,wn  to  th  Mi-d  the  ha>ty  Lillet,  giving  all 

bq  the  im; 

i  m«  and  d  :i(J:  wljilr  Kll:i  h:i>:- 

home    in  ^    this   moment   an 

Me. 

i  to  the  I.H  1  gings  of  PHXM 
ittingdown  to  a  lat.    «1. 

,.    .riMomy  unl    hut    little    inclined    to   eat.      Their 

inclination  \\  appearance  of  old  1 

Me    :,jM,l...  .  idrh    t.x.k 

•  rner  of  the  r<.«.m. 

:rkton     \\as    thru-:  «»d 

powessed  him-  If  <>f  i>>  •••::»•  nN  If  tur 

••  \vh a  mm! 

••\\i,at    1    should:      Proctor,    I    have    deceived    you.      Read 

that"' 

H4)dfcphjed  the  bill.t  jm  of   the  astoniahed  !'•• 

who   lia.l    Baldly    glanced  at  the    pa;  exclaimed  — 


•M'l  KATHATMNE    WALTON. 

•Iocs  this  come  from  '/      Whose  hamhxnHng  is  it?" 
x\"h;:r  matters  that?"  demanded  Tom  Singleton.     "  Enougl 
i:  CMIMOS  IVoin  a  true  friend.      It  is  all  the  trulls.'* 
"  Pardon  me,"  said  Proctor,  "that,  seeing  the    handwriting,  I 
did  not  consider  the  contents.     Yon  will  see  that  it  is  from  tht 
K;II no  pen  that  wrote  me  the  anonymous  warning  of  danger. " 

"Then  I   congratulate  you,  Major  Proctor,  on  having 
interest  in  the  heart  of  one  of  the  noblest  youug  creatures  in  ;!u 
ciJ-y."  ;!iis\voro(l  Tom  Singleton. 

:   Who  ?"  demanded  Proctor,  eagerly. 

Monekton —  Klla  Monckton  ;   as  sweet  a  girl  as  1  CM-; 
knew.      Hut  of  this  hereafter.      What  is  to  he  done?" 

"  Proctor,"  said  Rohert  Singleton.  I  am  in  your  power.  I 
llirow  myself  on  your  generosity.  Yon  see  how  I  havo  de 
ceive-!  you  !" 

"A  lid   can  you  douht  me,  Singleton t*1      The   voting   English- 
rnau   extended   his  arms,  and  the   two  were    at  once  locked  in  a 
embrace.      Old  Tom  Singleton  looked  on  silently  for  a   mo- 
M-.-nt.      At  length  he  spoke  — 

"  All  very  well,  and  very  grateful,  young  gentlemen  ;    hut  you 
neither  of  you  out  of  the  halter  yet.     The  question  is,  what 
i.-  to  ho  done  ?     Now,  if  you  will  listen  to  me — " 
"  Spe;.k,  sir." 

"  Well,  hriefly,  then,  the  hou.se  is  watched   at   present.     Your 
fellow,  John,   is  on    the    lookout    somewhere.      He    has   seen    me 
B  in.      He   must    see   me   go   out.      And   the  next  question  is 
f.i.w    to   get    P.oh   Singleton   out   without   his   heing  seen   1-y   1'no 
•;;ily  eyes.      Now  my  notion   is,  Major  Proctor,  that,  if 
v.e  t  vo  go  forth  together,  we  shall  certainly  draw  this  >py  after 
We  may  go  foith    to  a  certain  distav.ee   and   then    separate. 
When  we,  have,  thus  drawn  off  the.   spy,  our  kinsman   here 
his  departure  and  shape  for  himself  another  course.     T- 
liing  for  A/.v  safety,  we  must  first  cut    the    clews   of  the   spy 
I  \\ill  give   Rohert  directions  wliither  to  g«   ;   and,  when    1    sopa 
rate  fn.in  you,  I    will    seek    for   him.      The    rest    hereafter.      Arc 
y<>a  prepared  to  lose  yur  dill 

P  y  <or  caught  up  his  hat  on  the  instant,  and  old  Singleton, 
ift't  few  words  to  our  partisan,  \veut  out  \\ii\i  the  fonuer- 


THE   COr.VTKl!    PI  41. 

"liaUe  ti: 
it-ton  wont  forth   :ilsu  ;    Mid,  tin-    inMnictions   of  hii 

man,  t.mk  his  root  ualij 

.isi£  to  the  Governor^    I'.,-; 
'I'll.1  streets  were  generally  «jui«-t.      He   i; 

but  one  or  two  of  the  mfliUuy.    Tl.  arm 

-    iust    that    time   of  tin-   day  when,  dinner  I  • 

:'  the  j>e<.> 

full  r  <>f  ti  g  cofltomary  •  •  -'  •      BingkH  i 

.    ,V.I<!    Ci-n-l.-itnlate:!    hinisr'f     «'itll    tll<-    '  <•  I  !(-f  t  hat    he 

, 
ring, 

hut    a    short    -listancc    In-low   the    lii:r>   u  iiich   <livii!c(i    it    in 

•er   1'ioJii    "The    Nc<  k          '1  '•    old  hulk 

ie(l  hcsi«h'  the  ulnrf.  uhifh.  ;«t    tr.is    |»nii:V 
ic  of  palmetto  h.-v.  clllRlRlIy  tlirnwu  t 

i:;  decay.     OB      ••'.-• 

.liieiently  lar^e  for  the  ei.'ianre   of  an    a:  l< 
•on  loitered  awhile  ahout  the  old  hulk,  tin 
k  in  the  neighboring  places,  and    he  fancied  hi; 

.  he  ijiiie-  the  hulk   and     I 

:  ' 
t»f>a<          *  *  hail  never  heen  filled  in,  and.  M 

\v->is  low.  hi>  teni:  .ill  rea>"i. 

At      .  :  :  lie  could  still  have  kejit  his   head    <>'  • 

\  et  ki'pt  within  his  cavern.      Looking  ahout  hi1      : 
within  the    recetB,  al-".  the  well  ke| 

in  in  the  wharf,  on    the   n.-rthei:, 
craft    the    me 

:    in  the  bottom  "f  the  vessel.  Single! 
-••litations.  the  nature  of  which,  as  we  UiP.y  ff1; 

hythin^  hut  I 

Meanwhile,  ol  :    I  tOO  and   I'r-'cror  jnjrsiiod  their  Wat 

•lur  in   a  iy  pawing  into  Bro«d 

btreet. 

"  I  am  greatly  your  kinsman'*  safety." 

"'(oct"i.      "  What  plan  rill    |        Mk»p< 


•M >  KATHARINE  WAI.I<>\. 

cr  1)1, it  you  bhouiu  /.-,.•  -,uil   tin;   <>1. 1   man  ;   "trie 

H  ignorant  you  are,  oil  rim;  subject,  the  h->»   ninban 
PJ  you  if  called  upon  to  answer,      l^o  not  In-  dispieji^eu.      i; 
could   really  assist  in  his  escape,  1  should  tell  you  freely  ^-hat  1 
purpn.M-.  ' 

"And  if  you  need  tiie  help  of  a  weapon,  sir,  I  bog  you  will 
think  of  mine." 

"No!  no!  Proctor,  we  must  keep  your  enemies  in  the  \ 
It  will  he  of  no  service  on  your  trial,  even  if  you  could  prove  it 
so  ;    hut  it  is  something  also   to   sutler  with  a  pure,  heart,  and  a 
fearless  conscience/     Had  you  taken   the   counsels   of  this   dr:;r 
girl  in  season  !" 

"  What  do  you  know  of  Miss  Monckton  ?"  demanded   ! 
abruptly. 

"Know  her!  I  know  everything  of  her  —  knew  her  iruin  an 
infant  —  know  her  mother,  and  very  intimately  knew  her  fa 
ther." 

"She  is  of  good  family?" 

"  One  of  the  best  in  the  country." 

"  She  is  not  beautiful  ?" 

"No!  but  very  sweet,  and  very  true,  sir — and  thor?'«  a 
world  of  beauty  in  her  heart.  You  do  not  ask  if  she  is  rich  !" 

"1  did  not  U)hik  of  it." 

"  Humph  !  a  very  singular  omission.  And  now,  sir,  as  I  take 
for  granted  that  y^ur  scoundrelly  servant  has  his  eyes  upon  us. 
and  tint  Robert  Singleton  has  rrude  oft'  in  the  opposite  direction, 
it  may  l;e  just  -.-,  uell  that  we  -.hould  separate.  We  are  ii"W 
within  a  hundred  yards  of  the  widow  Monckton's  dwelling. 
A  i,  old  lions*-,  sir — lacks  paiut,  }'ou  see.  rl'he,  widow  is  r;i 
needv." 

The  old  man  wheeled  off  without   any  adieus,      Involuntarily 
I'rocti.i  turned  about  in  the  same  direction.    Hut  a  moment's  reli  •'•- 
tion  *auglit   him    that,  with  the  e)  es  of  the  .-py  in  all  probal 
upon  him,  his  bettbi  .'ourse.  was  to  continue  onward.      As  In 
so,  his   e)  es   caught    again    the  venerable    outlines   of  the  widow 
Konekton'i    mansion.      Instantlv    a    i:ew  imjiulse    fastened    i 
his  nn.:d.      \l>\  did    m-t    soliloijui/e,  but    the   thoughts,  l 
lewliat  in  this  manner,  passed  through  his  brain. 


"   li    t; :.iv   l>e  that    I   ;ii. i  .1  thi«. 

moment,  the   onlv  t  u  o    • 
in  my  I'm  tunes.  an-J   \\1.  riven  t<>  avert  my  ' 

.1    I    have    never   sought.        Here    is   H    noble    rebel    R£ 
whom   I  have  fought.      lie  has  taught    me  to  umlor^taml  tlu-  full 
beauty  nt'  tliat    tViendsliip    of  \vl.ich    \ve    i.-ad    in    the    1. 
Davii!  ami  .lonathan.      1  cDulil  :  in  hattle  lor  that  i. 

—  Ami    here    is    on«>  —  a  woman — y«mn.i:.  — 1   irfl] 

her1       1   will  speak  to  her  the  tli-.u/hts  —  the  gratitude  tha* 
mv   .  t'   all  thi-  :l«i    teel    a   pal 

mv  death.      Her  liands.  al<".  :e  sad  tlower 

lie  looked    round    in    ft 

i  :  man  was  nearly  • 

forward.        A    !ew    momen:  :    him    to    ti;o    do..: 

widow's  dwelling.      lie  raised    the  ant i«|iiated    ku«»  wan 

:    U:e     heavy    r«-  .  •  'Wed 

frum  the  stroke.      He   asked   !••   »,.-«•  Mi>^  .M..ii«.-kt«»ii.  and  wiuj  in 
:\y  admitte  , 


KATHARINE    WALTON. 


CHAPTER   XLVIII. 

THE    D0\  K'S    CO.VQrEST,    AM)    THE    ADDER'S    H/OK 

SFJWN  into  the  parlor  of  the  ancient  nim.sior.  of  Mre.  Monrk 
ton,  and  left  alone  by  the  servant,  Proctor,  for  the  >!•-! 
began  to  reflect  coolly  upon  the  motive-  of  his  visit,  lie  n.ui 
Btmply  obeyed  an  impulse.  But  that  impulse,  when  he  appealed 
to  his  deliberate  thought,  he  soon  discovered  to  spring  from  a 
just  recognition  of  his  duty.  In  his  mind,  he  ran  over  very  rap 
idly  the  whole  history  of  that  grateful  interest  which  (he  now 
knew)  Miss  Monckton  had  taken  in  his  fortunes.  The  discovery 
which  had  just  been  made,  furnished  the  clew  to  a  long  train  of 
services  which  he  owed  to  that  lady,  and  revealed  her  to  him 
•8  a  being  of  generous  and  noble  nature,  whose  devotion  to  his 
safety  and  honor,  so  long  and  deiicately  concealed,  was  .signifi 
cant  of  warmer  feelings  than  those  of  mere  generosity.  He 
rot-ailed  hurriedly  what  he  knew  of  her  personally  —  what  he 
had  heard  liei  say  —  her  looks,  tone,  and  general  manner;  and 
his  interest  in  her  person  and  character  sensibly  increased  in 
consequence  of  this  review.  When,  again,  he  reiiiembeivd  his 
own  isolation,  the  ftbscncG  of  nil  relationships  on  which  he  could 
i-  !y  in  his  emergency,  the.  indifference  and  selfishness  of  his 
kiiiMiian,  and  the  hostility  of  his  superiors,  his  heart  warmed 
more  than  ever  to  the  young  and  gentle  creature  whose  prefer 
ences,  so  secret  arid  so  useful  to  him,  had  been  so  generous  and 
decided.  When,  at  length,  Klla  Moncktoii  entered  the  apart- 
n.ent,  he  was  prepared,  though  unconsciously,  to  do  justice  m>t 
only  to  her  devotion,  but  to  lu-r  affections.  A  warm  sufl'usion 
-c(l  her  face  and  neck  as  she  ;i]ij, eared  before  him:  but  her 
eye  was  tremulously  bright,  at:d  her  heart  was  glowing  witb 


THK    DO  !  UK    ADDKU'S 

»lii.' 

aj'pe.in -.  .  i    impetuously,  an«l,   un-u-i    ;mot! 

imp  ititude.  I  ,-d    her    his    h;»nd.      SilcntK 

•  ed    her    o\\n    to    his    pasp.  \\hich  \s  as   accompanied  with   a 
warm  JUV--U.T;    ami  In-  scarcely  Mittered  Ion:- 
to  a  seat.  Lefotf  he  declared  his  knowledge  of  all    'hat    she    had 
wrought  in  his  l.ehalf. 

"Miss    Mil  nekton.   I    ran    not    do  justice    to   my   gratitude   by 
>>  1     l:;i\c    ••nly  lately    hri-.»iiu-  >t'   what    you    : 

done    i,,r    IIM-.      You    );a\c    tound    me    al-me,  rh<»(>rlf»ss.  hoj" 
stniL.  many  and  jn. \veiti-l  eiu-mies.      Y <>n  lia\e.  like 

nn    un-eeii    an^el.    \\hisjn-ved    to    me    in    i-oi:;is«-N    and    \\arningfl 

whicli    1   h.-i\-  fficicntlj  heeded      It  i^  nou 

late  t'..r  s.itftv  —  not  ton  hite  !<-r  arkno\\  i. -dement  and  | 
iiite  sm-li  kindnos.  ^\\c] 
:ny  thank  tf  and  I'o: 

I 

1 1  ••    '   . :  .  \(        bei     '.and    to   hi 
lt   \\a<  her  only  (UlSWer.       He  COfltUlliedi  — 

'•  II  id    1    hut    known    in    sea>"ii  !      Had    I    hut    suspected    the 

source  of  these  .secret    intimations   of  my  guardian  an^el,  wlnci 

I    my    secret   dnn^ers!       Had    I    1  u* 

•i  them  the  heed  which  the\  li<>|>eleM 

now;    myenemiei  •  t«»  tiiumuh;    I  am  in  the  (' 

will  coin|Uei  ;  Hut,  it    i  MJ8I 

Monckton,  helieve  me.  the  thought  of  your  interest    in   my  fate, 
the  :  within   my  soul,  will  b* 

the  la>t  o,nscioiisiie<-  which  will  lea1.  :it." 

:  her  than  sj»"ke  — 

"  ( )h  !    d(.  not  yju-ak  thus  —  do  in -t  -j.eak  of  j.erihh'mg.    Sandy, 
surely,  M  '»r.  you  hnvo  means  ofe.sca; 

red   ^lo.,mily  —  "i:  rakrn  place  te 

•  \v.      M  %•    eneinifs    are    jnv  'lim 

stances  of  the    most  ciuel    sort   comhine    against    me,  mid    ftl 
jiroof  \\hich    \\ill    '>e    condi  '  '  will    U» 

vlecl;:ied    my  x\\\\i    and  i  ^11    find  i.  and 

phnine  will    fasten    upon    my  name,  even    if   the    tyranny 
which   1   suiler  shall  t«»i-hear  my  ! 


KATIIAIIIN'K 

"  But  you  may  escape.  You  are  still  live.  You  will  flj  from 
the  rity  and  avoid  this  trial  !" 

"That  will  he,  as  fata!  to  mv  fame  as  if  1  \\rrc  to  Linger  here 
and  perish.  That,  is  what  my  enemies  desire.  It  is  for  this 
reason  that,  charged  as  I  am  with  the  most  criminal  oJl'r, 
Halfour  leaves  me  out  of  bonds.  He  pretends  to  ascribe  this 
forbearance  to  a  due  regard  to  my  uncle,  and  to  the.  hope,  that  I 
will  free  myself  from  these  imputations.  But  •>•.•  knows  hi* 
power  to  convict  me,  and  only  affords  me  these  opportunities 
of  flight  that  1  may  convict  myself.  1  dare  not  avail  myself 
of  this  opportunity  I  must  face  my  enemies  —  and  must 
perish!" 

Ella  Monckton  covered  her  face  with  her  hands.  A  slight 
gob  escaped  her,  and  Proctor  beheld  the  glistening  tears  steal 
ing  through  her  fingers.  He  was  seated  beside  her  on  the  sofa 
Unconsciously,  his  arm  encircled  her  waist. 

"  You  weep  for  me,  Miss  Monckton  !  Ah,  these  are  prec»ms 
tears!  So  strange  to  me,  and  doubly  precious  for  this  reason 
I  could  die,  for  such  !  I  could  almost  dan1  to  live,  for  them  !" 

"Oh,  live!  live  !"  slie  exclaimed  impetuously.  "Let  me  im 
plore  you  to  fly  from  this  danger,  and  from  these  merciless 
enemies.  If  they  convict  you,  as  you  say  they  will  —  nay,  as  1 
know  they  will  —  it  is  shame,  and  perhaps  death  also.  It  can 
not  be  worse  if  you  fly  ;  and  time  will  then  be  allowed  you  to 
refute  these  charges  —  to  fasten  the  shame  upon  these  hateful 
and  treacherous  people." 

In  thus  speaking,  she  had  removed  her  hands  from  hei 
and  her  eyes  h^d  resolutely  sought  his  own.  The  big  drops 
yet  stood  upon  her  cheeks,  and  the  soft  suffusion  yet  hung  upon 
and  fell  from  her  lids.  Hut  the,  animation  of  glance  which 
seconded  her  appeal  made  her  very  beautiful  in  the  eyes  of 
Proctor.  How  had  he  failed  before  to  disc"ver  so  much  loveli 
ness?  His  heart  was  deeply  touched  by  her  warm  sympa'i 

"Alas!"  he  exclaimed,"!  can  not  hrtar  you.  I  must  n<>; 
listen  to  such  counsel.  No,  my  dear  Misw  Monckton,  I  have  hren 
trained  in  a  pshool  which  teaches  that  such  a  flight  would  b«- 
unmitigated  dishonor.  1  must  hrave  and  face  the  danger,  e\  <  11 
though  I  foresee  that  H  wiK  overwhelm  me.  Whitl.nr  shouhl 


THE   DON 

I  fly  .'     To  t1  — 140 

doubt  would;    hut   a  safety  found    in    shame  would  make  }v 

1   must  ii..t  conten  j 
else   -.mill   I   Uy  /     To  11,1  region  covered  hy  our  arms  c»>uld  I 

retire,  without   the  (lntit.li>  . 

I  IMC  with  a  wall    «.f  tire    1 
1  must  encounter  all  that  thoy  threaten." 

She  answered  him  with   neu  eal 

•urnfrtlly  checked  ln-r  t 
"  It  is  all  in  vain.      To  this  fate  I  must   yield.      1    can    i 

-uc-h    course,    not    r'-»-n    though    lite  were    certainly  saf«\  and 
sliainc    were    equally    certain    DOf    t"    t'.ill.iw.        II 
.  r  to  the  sure!    hut    unknown  \nice  that  coun 
>n  wlien   I  irai 

at    my  he.N'       Ah  I    had   1   k:;"un    y.-n    r 
1    k»  MOU  !      Hear   me 

"  !'»•;, r  me.  Mi--  Mmirktnn.  if  it    he   n««t  \\-i--e    than    m.i 

a    <ieelarati"Ji    t'ni7M    '>m-  who.  1  tide 

hrink  '»i'  the  ;  with    tin 

.1    picpaiiii^  to    hurl     him    <io\\n     t!.. 
.it    the    h.  :.t.    when  ithout     hop,-    a;./; 

f'   mi    fruition  ,    hear    me    in    the  wild 
uonld  gladly  live,  if  it  werr  .'iil\  IK»W 

llei    h"ad   retted  nji-.n  h>  slmulder.        \ 
Ki^rh  ajid  >"h  sj,.,ke  more  than  any  word>.  the  ; 
which    IM-I    i,.-a  if     !  • 

•  •  \\  itli  the  a.ss;iran,-r  that  ii  \\ 
Impel 68*1  y  and  in  vain.      !!«•  continued  — 

I    teel   that     1    do  not   df 

that  I  do  not  make  you  an  idle  .  Y.-M  ! 

this  ! 

• 
-imply  to   humanity  and    friendship.       I 

ckton.  do    I    deceive    my -elf — have   1 

She  threw  he  h    a  wild  d    h«- 

held   her  there,  closely  pressed  with  omotioiirt  such  «A  5< 


454  KAI  H.\KI.\I:  \VAI.TO\. 

kindle    a    now     bein$  hreaM.       Tl.i-y    were    thenceforth 

united. 

"It  is  not  vain!  —  it  is  not  vain,  this  precious  consciousness 
.••von  though  I  die  to-morrow!" 

"  You  must  not  ilio  !"  s!io  said,  in  quick  hut  u  hispered  accent 
•  You  must  //'/•<  now  —  you  tcil'  live"-  the  rest  of  the  sentence 
was  spoken  in  a  whisper  —  "if  not  for  yourself,  for  /;//•/" 

She  buried  her  Mushing  face  in    his  hosoin.      A  ne\v  neci 

apparent  to  him.  Whatever  he  should  finally  dolor- 
mine,  she  at  least  must  be  Spared  every  unnecessarv  pantr.  She 
urist  lie  encouraged  for  the  present  with  a  hope,  even  if  lie  in 
dulged  in  none  himself.  And  lie  promised  —  1m  knew  not  ex 
;u-'ly  what — to  fly,  to  live  —  to  preserve  a  life,  which  had  ac 
quired  a  new  value  to  lioth  in  that  passionate,  hm  fleeting  inter 
view  of  Miss.  He  promised  her  to  elude  the  mockery  of  a  trial 
which  iie  well  knew  was  hut  designed  as  furnishing  the  sanction 
to  a  hrntal  and  selfish  crime;  though  without  really  entertain- 
ing  such  a  pinposo.  Hut  her  tears,  and  his  own  tenderness  of 
mood,  made  him  readily  yield  to  an  entreaty  which  he  co;:!d 
find  no  oilier  way  to  answer. 

Why  linger  upon  the  scene  .'      Knough  that  Proctor  tore  him- 
seli'  away    from    the    maiden    whom    he    had    made    happy    and 
wretched  in  the  same  moment — happy  in  the  sweet  response  tn 
a  sympathy  which  can  live  on  nothing  else;   and  wretched  with 
tears  that  threatened  to  dash  the  cup  of  joy  from  her  lips  in  the 
very  moment  when    its  delicious   waters    had    heen    e-nlv    tasted, 
i'roctor    had    heen    gone,    hut    fifteen    minutes.       Klla    .Monckton 
:      her    knees,  hefoie    the  sofa  on    which    he    had    left    her, 
when    she  was    startled    hy  a    loud    and    sudden    rapping    at  the 
[1  -pcned  hy  tin-  servant,  and    the  visitor,  without  a 

v.-ord,  pushed  into  the  passage,  and  darted  at  once,   into  the  pa;- 
lor,  the  way  to  which  he  sterns  to  have  \\ell  known.      Klla  look 
ed  up  to  licliold    in  the    intruder  the    prr-on  of  Major  Vaughai 
the  enemy  of  I'roctor,  if  not  her  own  ! 

"  JIow  now,  sir!"  she  exclaimed,  stalling  to  her  feet,  her  f'af^ 
al'  flushed  with  indignation.  "  You  here  !  Hy  what  right,  sii 
Jo  you  presume  thus  to  intrude  upon  me  /" 

His  e  lied    the  room.      lie  did    not    instantly   answer 


nil-:  DO 

ami  her  (jiu->ti..!i  I  It 

was  evident  that  i  • 
'•i  <ind  her  ;il  me  ;     but  he    put 
•r   that    mantled    his    lii 

caee. 

"Ho  has  gone.  !     ho  h.. 
t)iil  von  H-ipj.o.r.  K!la   M"iu-kt-'n.  *l..-i:    it  wa> 

ught  your  dwelling 

"  If  it    werr,  nn    CM  \f  tlmt 

r-ich  ;•.  in:  |  in  vain." 

. 

-   that  bn-u^lit  me  to  your  pivsenre.      It  u  purpose 

«?  a   long-'Jrlayi- •: 

»••(}  way  ia  your  heart,  no  uthcr  shall  !" 
"  In  that  I  defy  you,  sir!     You  are  t 

h  all  ihe  exultation  of  a  heart  for  the  firfct  liu  in  a 

i'ijuite*l  affection. 

"  I  know  it  noic  !     But  ;,*our  triumph    shall   ] 
..m\      Look  :    I  hold  in  my  Luids  the  authority   f «  i 
your  trillion.      He  shall  be    in    bond* 

.  MMKAV  brings  his  trial  as  a  traitor.  a;:d  in  tW6llty-four  liOttfl 
|  death.       ]Ja  ' 

tu.      ^    A    ?" 

"  I  luatln-  —   I  >•«•!»!      Hi" 

ha\r  '   hiM-r  —  ii"i;r  I.,    insult  liu     »  itli    y«.ur    lat  . 

your  presence        Voil    m«J?  irinmpli  :;  -linll 

triumph 

•  t'  //////,  in\    la>t  \MM-il.-.  .-h'iul«l  be  : 
- 

\Vith  a  ^rin  of  bitter  i:  k  the   uamuu  nt  her.  «j 

In-  cr1.' 

11  Know,  at  h- 

•a,  havv'  •loojiu'd  h'lu.      '; 
•  'mi .     Conld  yon'nou 

all     clip     ' 

that  your  fair  ban 

.:   and  craven  '      i 

Your    vanity    u!  ••-.-i»».s  of  « 


456  KATHARINE    WALTON. 

lady  with  another  feeling.     Begone!      Were  you  not  utterly 

you   would    seek   your  enemy  with   your   sword,   and   not   with  the 

wretched  artifices  with  which  you  have  striven  to  destroy  him." 

"And  were  he  not  already  r., ,..•',->.  \  should  seek  him  now  with 
the  sword.  But  that  were  a  poor  revenue  for  mi  '  N<>'  Klla  Monck- 
ton,  I  shall  not  now  balk  the  sweets  of  a  perfect  vengeance  by  giving 
him  an  honorable  death." 

"  Away  !  and  meet  him  if  you  dare  !  You  but  cloak  your  cow 
ardice  under  this  miserable  plea  of  vengeance  !  " 

With  a  lurid  grin  that  lighted  up  his  features  with  a  Satanic  ex 
pression,  he  once  more  shook  the  order  for  arrest  before  her,  and, 
striking  it  with  his  hands,  exclaimed  — 

"  When  ////.v  has  done  its  work,  Ella  Monckton.  you  may  look  for 
another  visit  from  tin-  man  whose  aHVctions  you  have  outraged.  Till 
then,  1  leave  you  to  your  very  pleasant  meditations." 

Once  more,  the  maiden  was  left  alone.  Let  us  drop  the  veil  for 
the  present  over  her  sorrows. 


A  I'TKR    X  MX 

HIN.M      01 

TIIK  '  .nek 

known.  ;•  proc. 

tor  ha«l  tracked  tin-  latter  t.»  the  >j,..t.      Yau^han  had  in-.' 

•:    jiartici;' 

i'rm-t'ir  m:_'!ii   in:ik«-  :    an  i  the  Ijiy,  ' 
ly  housod,  had  ln«n 

Vauirhaii.  in  his  lonir  inti-rvirw  with    Halfnnr,  ha«l   dntnk  • 
!  :h  ur-liiiarily  a  tcinpcr.-;'  .   -Id    and    cin-uin^j" 

had  hern  taken  nfV   •  'iliar    intl': 

vindictive  jia«.s'nni.      The  -id  the 

'M>U!  to  l>e  sjmkiMi.      This  e<»nv:,  | 

is    not    t!  ! 

^till  unsatisfied.      He  wmiM  obi 

.     1'iit    tl:-  -:«e  an-^ 

i.i-h  left  '  •  ;'  s*   tk- 

' 

' 
I  om«.  thinj;  '.\hich    :  n.      It 

tl)«*  li'-lief   t'i  '.   the    fee'  I'.lln  F6- 

_rai<!c  .  v  uiikiu.wn  t..  the  latter,  an 

^d  uj)  from  -»11  K  hosom 

•.f   tlie   lP.ti-'«Mi    her-elt'.        !' 

••ii  from  him.      lie 
his   own    lodging!)    inflimod     \\ith    wine    aiid    ^nawiiij;    j>;. 

l\f  traitor,  J"hn,  i:  ijipearanc  •    hurritMlly,  ami  ID 


458  KATIIAKIM     WALTON. 

formed  him  of  Proctor's  appearance  at  the  residence  of  Mrs. 
Monckton. 

Thoroughly  roused  by  the  information,  in  his  excitement  •  he 
lost  his  coolness  and  circumspection;  and,  congratulating  him 
self  on  the  precaution  which  had  provided  him  with  Hal  four's 
warrant  for  the  arrest  of  Proctor,  lie  hurried  in  sean-h  of  him. 
with  the  hope  to  take  him  in  the  very  presence  of  his  mi-tn  --. 
His  evil  passions  rendered  him  insensible  to  the  brutality  of 
such  a  proceeding.  We  have  seen  the  results  in  his  temporary 
disappointment.  The  event  of  the  interview  did  not  great  Iv 
improve  his  temper  or  his  prudence,  When  he  emerged  from 
the  dwelling  of  Mix  Monckton,  he  found  the  spy  in  waiting  with  a 
couple  of  Hessians,  who  had  been  brought  for  the  purpose  of  taking 
the  prisoner  into  safekeeping.  Vaughan  was  not  willing  to  forego 
their  services, 

"You  must  recover  trail,  John,"  he  said  to  the  spy. 

"Must  have  time  for  ft,  major.  We  must  get  back  to  his 
lodgings  and  see  if  he's  gone  back  there  ;  I  left  a  pair  of  eyes 
on  the  lookout  in  that  quarter,  and  can  soon  know.  But  it 
won't  do  to  be  going  in  a  crowd.  These  men  can  follow  us  at 
a  distance  without  appearing  to  follow,  and  you  had  better  keep 
a  good  bowshot  behind  inc.  These  rebel-  have  their  spies  out 
as  well  as  ourselves,  and  they  whisper  from  wall  to  wall,  who's 
coming." 

"As  you  will,"  said  Vaughan  —  "only  hasten!  \Ve  must. have 
him  by  the  neck  and  heels  before  night ' " 

The  party  distributed  by  the  spy  pursued  their  way.  but  with 
considerable  intervals  between  the  several  divisions.  They 
reached,  at  length,  the  neighborhood  of  Proctor's  lodgings. 
There  they  ascertained,  from  the  subordinate  who  had  been  left 
to  watch  the  premNes  that  he  had  reappeared,  entered,  and 
again  gone  forth,  not  ten  minutes  In-fore.  The  direction  which  he 
had  taken  was  pointed  out  and  the  pursuers  again  resumed  the 
chase 

Fora  long  time  they  found  it  fruitless.  Proctor,  it  seems,  had 
set  out  to  seek  for  Singleton,  alias  Furness.  His  mind  had  taken 
a  new  direction  since  his  recent  interview  with  Klla  Monek- 
ton  Strange  t9  say,  the  feeling  of  despair,  and  complete  resig- 


.••1    him   • 

hour  hefore.  liail  e;iveu  \\  ay  entirely  in  n 
and  life.      II,  ;,ed  fully 

Jit  ;     hut.  I'M-  tin-    first    time,  lie    fell   how  m.uh 

•lie  conn* 

trial    i:i    which    lie     was    already    unjust!-.  i-rd 

.•\d    not   vrt    fairly  determined  to  adopt  t). 
the  earnest    desire    to    M-e    and   talk 

;ely  rontemplated    this    very  .„!    (|,,.    !; 

eiMjil "yin-  ir.      He>ides,  we  must  d«>  him  tlie  ju^ti-  • 

:y  om.siderahle  feelii.;:  of  anxi.  '  Kit 

ter  er.tei'ed  into  t!  A!I'U!I    lie    f»dt  in    i 

But  llOW  tO    seek     the    fugitive    \\asthr    ijiu-ftimi  ! 

n  hn«i,  v.  him    no  , 

fonsi-i'.iiij,  that  if,  a>    he    ki  «  •       1 '. 

1  only  conduct  the  pu:  k  to 

II  the  former  to  fmd  him  out.      W  lat- 

ter  had  fomul  shelter.      It   \  :,  and  tin 

Approaching,    whe.i     'l'«-m     Singleton     lei: 

•  n  street,  ai.d   |  U§he<l    '  |    eii- 

'.•ountered  neai   Co!    ;•••]  Crudeii's  (1'isuk'  i  'roc- 

tor.  the    la>t  man    he    de.-iied    to    -.,        '!;,.•    '.  . 

;led    him.    hut    he  pushed    !>y    h  :.  _•    ahiuj.tly.   AS    he 

d  — 
11  M.ijoi    J'i.,1  tor.  il    you    would  not  .<!.. 

;ver.  and   fi»r^et  th.it  you  have  M-ei.  B 

"Tint   1   \vnuhi  !;iend  Singleton — I  IIH\  e  .som--tliing  to 

hiju  of  \ 

;ir   looking-*:!, 

e  harher  of  Mi, las  did.  and  i  udi». 

I  tell  you.  sir.  that  you  will  mar  everything  —  that  y»u  .v  ill  . 
hriuj;  the  ei;emv  iijion   • 

Pmrto!    paused,  half    pi<jUed  at    t  ,•-,*  of    the  old  mnn, 

Hiid  half  iin].ressed  hy  the  '    his  gtlggefltlOO.      He  St«KHl 

aside,    JKCordin<.rly.   atid    BUflbrCfl    him    to    make    his  way   a> 
pleased.      ()M  '.    forward,   and.'l'or    n   : 

}'n.>ctor  watchetl    him.     'J'ln  .   back,  and  seeing 


460  KATHARINE     WALTOX. 

that  he  was  watched,  darted  aside  into  Pinckncy  street,  pursuing 
a  due-west  direction.  Proctor  conlimu-d  up  the  Uay,  walking 
slowly,  and  fast  forgetting  the  external  world  in  his  inward 
meditations.  On  a  sudden,  however,  he  wax  startled  by  the 
reappearance  of  Tom  Singleton,  who  crossed  the  Hay  from  one 
of  the  streets  at  right  angles  with  it,  and  hurried  rapidly  down 
to  the  wharves.  Proctor's  desire  t<  i  speak  with  llohert 

Singleton  was  immediately  levived  within  him.  He  looked  back 
upon  his  own  footsteps.  Jle  .-aw  nobody,  and  the  du-k  had  now 
so  thickened  that  he  could  distinguish  objects  only  at  a  small 
distance. 

"This  old  man,"  he  said  to  himself,  the  danger. 

There  is  no  one  after  us  now;  and  if  there  were,  he  could  see  but 
little." 

He  came  rapidly  to  his  determination,  his  desires  prompting 
him  to  make  light  of  all  causes  of  appn -hen-ion;  and,  wheeling 
down  the  wharves  also,  he  kept  old  Singleton's  retreating  figure 
constantly  in  his  eye.  lie  little  thought  that,  when  he  wheeled 
from  the  Bay  into  another  street,  he  placed  himself  under  the 
very  espionage  which  he  Haltered  himself  lie  had  eluded,  and 
which  indeed,  had  failed,  up  to  this  moment,  to  come  upon  his 
tracks.  It  was  in  this  very  street  that  the  keen  eyes  of  his 
treacherous  servant,  John,  still  followed  by  Vaughan  and  the 
d  caught  sight  of  old  Singleton.  Tin-  same  treach 
erous  scoundrel  now  instantly  detected  a  something  in  the  air 
and  gait  of  the  new-comer  which  reminded  him  of  his  master; 
but  the  dusk  was  now  too  great  to  enable  him  to  reduce  thi>  to 
certainty,  unle-s  by  a  nearer  approach,  which,  as  he  knew  hf^ 
master's  ti-mper.  hf  was  careful  not  to  make  alone.  He  waited 
.:M.i:ly,  till  Vaughan  came  up,  when  lie  expressed  his  belief 
that  Proctor  wa<  just  before  them,  a  space  of  not  more  than  fifty 
yards."  v 

••  Why,  then,  do  you  st<>p  y  "  demanded  Vaughan,  eagerly.    "  Why 
did  you  not  dart  upon  him  ?" 

"  He  will  fight  like  a  devil  major." 

"  Push  on  wit  li  mi- !  " 

"  Hadn't  we  better  hold  on  till  the  Hessians  come  up  ?" 

"  He  is  alone,  you  say  ?  " 


FINAL 

:  of  him." 

ve  us  .-my  trouble.     But  do  you  run  back 
and  hurry  on   t'.  man  in 

He    was  —sed    forward,  and    with 

a  low- 

irf— -that    in    which    we    have.    s<  •  • 
Something  which  Van 

MM   his   i-ace.     It   was  now  p-owim:   dimYult 
••iniruMi    objects     at     thirty     yards.       Vatii:lian'.-  im] 
would  not  allow  him  to  delay.      He  knew  In.- 
before  him,  and  rca>  knitted   th.it  all   that  was  necessary 

was  to   retard    1.  I    few   moments   until  the   arrival  of 

II.-    qtf  k<  : .-  d    his  walk,   already 

hurried     to     a     run,     and     suddenU  almost    at 

A  of  the  wharf,  with  a  r    shadowy  figures  upon  it 

and  a  boat  on  one  >ide.  in  \\  1  -ons  were  to  be  seen. 

8    of  the  JM  r-oiis  in  the  b<»at 

sound  .  U)  hring  out  all  tin-  \ 

ity  of  '• 

•u-ly  before  him    but  with 
••on  his    ar:  :uingas 

he  did  SO  — 

r  your 

'iiel  Hall 

hiniM-lf  free,  and  wi  D  blow 

of  the  iM.  d. -liv. -red  fairly  in  th.-  t  .-issailant,  he  sent  him 

recovered  l  rew  his 

^houted  to  the   eini-ary.  .I«.hn.    with  hi-   Ilrx-inn-.  whom  he 
lose  In-hind  him.  and  rushi-d   with  mortal   fun' upon 
his  enemy.    At  this  i  -nt-leton's  voice  wa§  distinctly  beard 

to  say  — 
"  Ti 

to?    had    drawn    his  sword   the   moment   be    had    given 

: .,n   tlie  blow.  rosaed;  and  the  group 

on  the  wharf,   -eeim:  th-  Elearfans,    with    the  spy, 

the   ridfit,  c.-mj-l-  •  '"    the  shadows 

of  th-   wharf,   and   on    the   old   hulk  .that    lay   there   in  the  marsh 


I'!'.'  KATIIAKINK    WALTOK. 

Vaughan  heard  t  lie  cry  of  the  treacherous  servant  announcing  hifl 

approach,  and    lie   called    to   him    while   still    fighting    with    Proc 
tor— 

Ize  the  boat  !     The  rebel.  Singleton,  is  in  it  '" 

The  Hessians,  with  the  spy.  at  once  jumped  upon  the  hulk,  to  tho 
Stern  of  which  the  boat  was  fastened.  Scarcely  had  they  done  so, 
when  the  two  former  were  sei/ed  by  unseen  enemies,  and  violently 
thrown  down  Upon  the  deck.  John,  the  spy,  however,  continued  to 
sei/.e  the  fasts  of  the  boat,  and,  stretching  over,  laid  his  hand  upon 
the  prow.  A  -single  blow  from  Robert  Singleton  with  an  oar, 
which  he  caught  up  suddenly,  delivered  roundly  upon  the  head  of 
(he  fellow,  stunned  him,  and  falling  between  into  the  dock,  he  went 
down  like  a  stone,  and  never  reappeared.  Meanwhile,  tho  con- 
•or  ween  Proctor  and  Vaughan  was  continued  with 
fearful  violence.  Both  of  them  were  wounded,  though  not  dan* 
gerously,  and  Vaughan,  aware  In  some  degree,  of  the  capture  of  the 
Hessians,  and  no  longer  hearing  the  voice  of  tho  spy,  was  losing  all 
his  caution  in  the  fear  of  losing  his  prey.  Proctor  was  never 
cooler  in  his  life.  The  desperateness  of  his  situation  seemed 
to  bring  out  all  his  character.  Meanwhile,  Singleton  leaped 
ashore. 

"  We  must  put  an  end  to  this,  Proctor.      Lights  are  moving  down 
toward  us,  and  they    are   waving  torclus    upon    the  eastern   bastion, 
•i  take  and  tie  this  worthy  gentleman,  and  either  leave  him  on 
the  wharf  or  take  him  with  us." 

"A  moment!  —  only  a  moment  more'"  was  the  reply  of 
Proctor,  who  felt  his  advantages.  It  scarcely  needed  so  much. 
Almost  while  he  was  speaking,  a  desperate  lungr  of  Vaughan 
threw  wide  his  guard,  and  the  prompt  weapon  of  Proctor  found 
it8  Sheath  in  his  bo.M.m.  He  leaped  Up  a-  lie  received  the  thrust, 
and  fell  forward  upon  his  enemy,  the  sword  hivakii 
at  the  hilt.  Singleton  stooped  to  the  body,  which  was  utterly  life- 
Ices. 

"  It  is  done  !     And  your  fight  is  decided."  said  he.     "  You  have 
i  the  arrest  of   your   superior,    and    your  fate    is  sealed  if  you 
remain  !" 

:or   oiTered    no    resistance;    but    silently    MilTered    himself  to 
be  led  away  to  the  boat.     It. was  pushed  off  the  moment   he   was 


•he  boy  George  Spidell,  and  t\v<>  faithful  iu-irn». 
four  took  the  oar-;  lujt  of  th'  -e  little 
ihclide.  : 
tin'  reijuired  direction. 

"Th  .iniiur  out  too  hriditly."  >aid   I.o.-k\\ 1,  "and 

may  give  thos,.    fell-n-  .,n  the    'o-ti.m  a  <:lii: 

strike  .  ! -nidi-ill's  until  <>ut  of  si-jlil.  then  take  the  tide  for  the 

:;  going 
on  the  West  Bide  of  !: 

-,  certainly.     My  lior-es  are  hidd.-n  tlii-  sidr  of  th- 
and  Mieh  a  OOOIM  will   he  totally  un- 

;.i<lriH'x." 
"  Oa:  :.  "  we  in  , 

! 

ke    UN  KG 
,:•  of  a  twenty  four  jx-un 

llil-tled  OVei  'he  hrmls  of    Hi.     | 

I  <  ivility  d<--i-ned  for  US  1     "I"'"  }  B^ldttlt] 
"  They  will  : 

lusty  pull-,  my  good  boys,  and  they  miM  aim  at  ; 

•her  and  another  >hot  foll..ued.   l,i.- 
of  the  obj< 

They  tee  us 

i-ylhinu-  t 

:id  it  tn  in-      •  • 

The  night  I,  Mini  under  i:  littli-  IM»U< 

more  a;  1   the   we-tern  .banks  of  • 

called    i 

of  the  inar-h  w  h«  n  ;  IH  b(MU  Kt- 

ting  forth  from  the  <-it\  ii.  ; 
drill's. 

•'  Safe  for  the  pn-M-nt.  colonel,"  said  Ixx?kw.  .«ncr 

we  part  the  better,     ^  i  r»u  put 

up  if  you  d 

ill  find  that 
easy,     i  -...thins:  i-  mon-  KX     I  have  horacs  at  band,  such  M 


464  KATHARINE   WALTON. 

none  in  garrison  could  overtake,  unless,  perhaps  Ardiy  Campbell's, 
and  no  one  will  look  for  us  in  this  quarter.  "What  will  you  do. 
Lock-wood  ?  " 

"  Give  yourself  no  concern  about  me.  Daylight  will  probably  find 
us  up  the  Wando." 

The  parties  separated;  and,  before  dawn,  Singleton  and  Proctor. 
with  a  few  followers,  were  rapidly  approaching  the  heads  of  Cooper 
river. 


A  I'T  K 


\\'K    may  imagine    tin-    fur. 
night.     Two  of  1  .lli-»i 

hau  i 

Hilt    the  .  ' 

0.      At   all   f,  • 

that    tin-   fate  "I    (  'iiluiii'l   \\  i   lnv 

ciiij.tion,  unless  with  ili. 

.it    tin-    ' 
j)la;  •• 
jus' 
in^r  to  the    jih-a    put    it 

criminal    |in>>,viiti.in.      Hi- 

(.f  t;  i^i.-u 

.-••:.       1  ! 
:i^    IM-I  and 

i :  i  r«et 

ami  condemned,  with!: 

• 

\\  hrluifl    M  i 

' 

.  ftri    WC    I  .  »•> 

>ied 

lihly  uii'ii 

'he  !  .  .lH«d 

with    HUati-rity.        I  nirii  «'f  ' 

uu«  loyal 

• 


466  KATHAKIM:  WALTOX. 

public  character  greatly  esteemed  by  all  parties,  K  i.ewcd  the  petition, 
and  all  without  success.  In  Balfotir's  dwelling  Katharine  AValton 
threw  herself  at  his  feet  in  a  vain  entreaty  for  her  father's  life. 

"  It  is  in  your  hands,"  was  the  only  reply  —you  have  but  to  speak 
to  save  him.  You  know  the  conditions!  ]}y  the  God  of  heaven. 
Miss  Walton,  you  shall  have  no  other  !  " 

She  was  taken  away  swooning. 

The  day  came  assigned  for  the  execution.  Colonel  Walton  was 
taken  from  the  vaults  of  the  provost,  and  carried  upstairs  in  the 
same  building,  to  the  northeast  chamber,  in  the  second  story,  v,  here 
he  was  permitted  to  see  his  friends,  and  to  habit  himself  properly  for 
his  painful  public  exhibition.  Hither  his  daughter  found  her  way  at 
the  earliest  possible  moment.  There  was  a  sense  of  utter  desolation 
in  her  grief  that  left  her  almost  speechless.  But  we  shall  not  attempt 
to  describe  the  agony,  which  needed  not,  and  was  indeed  superior  to 
the  necessity  for.  any  words  to  declare  its  intensity  and  extremity. 
There  are  some  sorrows,  over  which  the  judicious  painter  always 
draws  the  veil,  despairing  to  depict  them.  Such  is  our  policy  and 
necessity.  At  length  the  moment  came  for  parting.  At  this  mo 
ment,  Balfour  appeared  in  the  dungeon.  He  approached  Kath 
arine. 

'  It  is  not  too  late  !"  he  whispered  in  her  ears.     "  You  h:n 
time  !     You  may  yet  save  him  !  " 

The  voice  of  Walton  immediately  followed  the  whisper  of  lialfour. 

"  Katharine  !  " 

She  looked  up  through  her  tears. 
•  K> •member,  my  child  !  your  oath  !  your  oath  !" 
.ink  down  at  her  father's  feet. 

i-mel  Balfour,  "  said  Walton,  "  this  i»  very  unmanly.     !>•>  you 
tliemiserv  which  vou  inflict?     You  embitter  the  last  moments 
of  my  life." 

"  I  would  .wv  vour  life!"  was  the  answer. 

"  You  cannot  do  it  by  this  pr«  - 

"There  is  then  no  other'"  was  the  savage  reply,  and  with 
these  words,  Balfour  left  the  chamber.  As  he  was  about  to  de- 


part,  Kitharine  half  rose  with  tlic  JHH-J..--  _-  him,  1m 

her  fat!,.  :  her  l,y  the  arm. 

"  My  child    ni\    K    ?r.  :  t  think  to  sa 

•hort  remnant  of  my  life  by  tbi  icm- 

•h  !      It    M 
i  this  man  !" 
We  forbear  the   rest  of  the   sc> 

uj.oi.    her   »|'iivering   lips,   Walton    tore    hinis.-  'f  ,  .  },;» 

••mug  'laughter.      F-.r   a   moment    after.  >h«-   lay  t:i 
in  the  anus  of  he: 

:•)!!  of  the  melancholy  «!nim  \\-ir 

nriit  </f  tin-  sad  j»r- 

'    us   £<i."  |  !,  "  I    can    IK-' 

1  must  go  tc  /<m<  /   to  Aim  .'" 

"  To  whom,  my  c •:. 

"   To     )i;!lf..li. 

Mrs.  Siii^li-t'-n  (ii.l  not  IIJIJIMM-  h«-:        It    MTi 

hnrriei!  to  th- 
it  was   driven  with   all 

N'ton    in   the    v.-l  i<  m»e. 

Witliout  nutiiij;  whn  was  j.-  -ored 

"in  ill  which  hitlirrto  she  had  found  '  -it  — 

"  Sj.are  him,  save  liim.  i 
reijnire  '" 

She  nas  nns\v  •  \lf:rd  Monckton  — 

not  hi  Walton." 

••'  >h  '      My  God,  do  n,.t  t.-ll  me  HO!      \\  ef" 

"  I    have  to  go  to  him,   even    i.  ness/'  wn*  the 

— "  I  will  conduct  you  to  him" 

"Thank"!    thanks'       I':'  !       :.  n,  or  we  nhall  D6  too  l.r 
Tin-  voting  man  assisted  !u-r  into  the  carriage,  ami  look 

\.     II. •  orden  I  tl  ve  at  once 

.  whither    Halfoiu  :.£  certain  |t«. 

(•••is       The  noi>es  wr:v  jmt  to  t'  •  s(»<in  at  the 

i-v'siileiice   of   that   rival    leant y 

••>it:i   the  commaiylant  wlien    Katharint-    \\'al:  <>il    upon 

t  e  scene. 


468  K  ATI!  A  KINK     WAI. TON. 

Balfour,  after  leaving  the  provost,  hail  hurried  to  his  residence,  full 
and  disappointment.  Here  lie  hud  left  a  few  orders  ;  then, 
mounting  his  horse,  he  had  galh-ped  up  to  the  dwelling  of  the 
beauty  he  had  so  much  neglected  of  late,  seeking  that  consolation 
from  the  006  damsel  Which  he  had  failed  to  obtain  from  the  other 
whom  he  most  affected.  His  steed  wa*  fastened  at  the  entrance,  and 
he  entered  the  house.  As  he  did  so  Moll  Harvey  cried  out  from  the 
BtOiy  bidding  him  take  a  seat  in  the  parlor,  and  promising  to 
he  down  directly.  She  had  not  made  her  toilet  ;  and  now  pp. 
to  this  pleasant  duty  with  a  full  sense  of  the  situation  of  affairs,  and 
a  full  determination  to  make  herself  as  irresistible  as  possible. 

It  was  tvhile  she  w.  ;   in  this  employment  that  she  heard 

the  carriage  which  bore   Kate   Walton  drive  up  to  the  door. 
Ing  through  the  lattice,  she  saw  her  alight  and  enter.    The  » 
conducted   her  into   the   parlor,  whither  she  was  followed  by  Alfred 
Monckton.      Mrs.     Singleton     remained     within    the    carriage.     The 
moment    Kate  appeared,    Balfour  saw  that    he  had    conquered.      He 
hastily  took  the  papers  from  Monrkton,  and  told  him  to  wait  in  an 
adjoining  room.     The  hurried  words  of  Katharine,  meanwhile,  had 
announced  her  resignation  to  her  fate. 

"I  consent,  Colonel   Balfour  — only  save  him  — hasten,  before  it 
is  too  late  !  " 

••  You  will  be  mine,  Katharine?" 

'  Yes  !     O  yes  !  anything  —  only  do  not  waste  these  precious  mo 
ments." 

Meanwhile    Moll    Harvey    had     descended     to    the     lower    story. 

:nding  beside    the   half  closed   door  as   the   words   were 

i.      She     heard     all     that    VTai    said.      She    knew    all    that    was 

determined    upon.     Through    the   crack  of  the   door,  sh< 

four    approach     a    table,    and,    with    a    pencil,    hastily    pen    a    few 

rap    of    paper;   (lien,  as    he    came    toward    t!,< 
lie    drew    back    and    sheltered    herself    within   a   C] 
four   came    out,  entered    the   adjoining    room,   and    putting    the    pa 
per    into    the    hands  of    Alfred    Mi.n«-kton.  bad  him  take  his    hor<e 
illop    off,  with   all    haste   to   l!  BCQtioD.      U>-   \\as 

1   to  put  the  paper  into    the    hands    of    Major     l-'ra/er.    corn- 


ig  tin-  ileiacliiiietil.      1  ln>  d-> 

apart i.  !ia«i  Irlt  K  '      .It-.u. 

AliVctl  M' Mirk; 
to   mount    tlu«   IJD:  four,  wlicn   Mull   Harvey  ra. 

Slu-   rarrird  a  t-.ldrd  jiaju-r  in  lirr  li;. 
"  Mr.    M 

;  . 
otlu-r  pajin.      'i'!. 

01  y-»u  \\iii  ;  , 
'  ktuii  t-iiui.t  i 

| 

;itl\'  uj»  the-  1-ack 

•In-  piifo 

,    lull    «>f    ; 
. 
She   only   sai'i •'   \\lrtcll  !     i    lia 

ii    was    ar,'i)«U'il    to    tlu>    }»i. 
I  >r.  liainsav  and  «»tli»'i    : 
i  crlt'Ka^tir.il    i-Ici.  i  tllC 

• 

•jlial     I'oi; 
.  im-il    a    liiillir.. 

tion ;  tin-  ! ;  -  on  tin-  right  I'.iitl.-li  in 

nath 

I,       It    hail    ill:- 

•ppoiiited 

known  in  th;<!  d.-y  as   1; 

ton  made  Ins 

WIUMI     till'     COUI1( 

eii   him  the   billel 

tuinr-d  it  .  \  'i  — 


470  KATHARINE     WALTON". 

'•  What  means  this?  There  is  nothing  here!  Are  you  sure,  sir, 
that  you  have  given  me  the  right  paper?" 

,iU' sun-!"  was  the  answer;  but  the  youth  was  greatly  be 
wildered  :is  he  examined  the  seeming  billet  and  found  it  a  blank  en 
velope  only. 

"  I  understand  !"  muttered  Frazer.  "It  is  just  like  Balfotir. 
It  was  only  to  get  rid  of  some  importunate  petitioners  that  he  has 
sen!  this  empty  paper.  I  could  have  wished  it  otherwise,  gentle 
men."  he  remarked,  turning  to  Ramsay  and  the  other  anxious 
friends  of  the  condemned.  "But  it  only  rests  with  me  to  do  my 
duty." 

They  expostulated  with  him,  and  insisted  upon  the  evident  inten 
tions  of  Balfouy  in  sending  a  messenger  in  such  hot  haste  ;  the  blank 
paper  wsa  t-.idently  some  mistake.  But  Frazer  shook  his  head 
mournfully,  but  firmly. 

<:<••       uen,  this  blai.U   paper  means  everything  I     It  especially 
to  do  my  duty,  and  shows  me   that   no  orders  are  de- 
it.     Let  the  prisoner  prepare  himself.      The  minutes 
•chausted." 

Vv  hen  Bal four,  having  despatched  Monckton  with  the  billet,  re 
turned  to  the  parlor,  he  found  Katharine  Walton  with  her  face  COT- 
;  by  her  hands,  and  leant  upon  the  arm  of  the  sofa.  She  was 
silent,  but.  at  slow  intervals,  drew  long  convulsive  sobs.  Balfonr 
undertook  the  work  of  soothing  ;  but  such  a  task  required  tin*  agency 
of  'in<T  M 'liabilities  than  any  in  his  po-x-sMon.  He  either  annoyed 
the  sufTercr,  or  failed  to  make  any  impression  on  her  8611864,  When, 
however,  his  pertinacity  fixed  her  attention,  she  hastily  started  up 
and  exclaimed  — 

me  go  now,  Colonel  Balfour.  my  aunt  is  in  waiting,  and 
I — I ---should  lie.  at  home.      I  am  very  sick  and  very  weary." 

".Mrs.  Singleton  lias  already  none  home,  dear  Miss  Walton,  hav 
ing  left  the  carriage  f«r  you." 

•  •He!  and  I  am  here  alone!"  she  exclaimed,  with  some 
:'d  anno\aiice. 

'1  why  not.  my  deav  Miss  Walton1/  You  are  not  alone.  Who 
should  better  a-ert  the  iiLrht  to  protect  and  comfort  you  than  he  to 
whom  you  h.t\  .  claim?  " 


win  ii  will  he  return?" 
»on." 

••  Ah.  thank-!    thai 

It  will  not  ta«k  the  im:i.irin:itii»n  t<>  -nfurt 

•  lation    mixed    with    bald  ''is   <.f    alT.-eti..n.   whiclj 

aiti-nipt    In    be-low    upon    hi- 
i,    I,,-    h;ir.l    to    underhand   with    what    a:n, 
tun    heard    them    all.      Hut    ifafl    l.a.l    adopted    1, 
ul. mitted  with  resignation  to  h 

]„„,,  .  .    Whrll     hr     Would     !. 

•.vai-t  with   hi<  arm.  .lid  -lit-  n-\..lt   an.l  r 

mit  to  this  — not  so  so«.i 

We  pa-  "v.-i  an  interval  <«f  timr.  whic-h  Uj  t»-- 

,:ixi«-ti«-.      I'  \va>  in  a  IUMIIU-MI  wh.-n    BftlfOQI 

•lr,l  by  the  sill!' 

.,,n:      What  can  it  i 
:rinc  looked  up  with  sudden   ' 

!  ,  11    me  —  tell    D 

Halto'ir.      '  •  it  b.-  that  " 

Ithkv,  withh.. 

,:ll  ,1   him,  while.  .-videntl>    am.oyrd   ;. 

appn.achrd  tl, 

I  Katharine,  who  n,,w  impelu-usly   appeal,  d  U>  til 

her  fath- 
H  safe,  dear  Ml«  Waltc 

will  l>ehere  dip 

At    thi,   mooieot,    Holl 

dre^ed    in    tl,.-    Q 

them,     Katl.  >'»«    ^ithout    :. 

intt  ;rpri«>    -with  eyes  iiul. 

led    from    the 

:    UJ   her    un.ouscioufl    ri  •  ^>rt>    ful1   "f    <icora 

and  lire. 

•   He  tells  you  that  your  father  U  «afc-UuU  he  will  be  here 


472  KATHARINE    \V.\l.Tn.\. 

directly!  He  tells  you  what  is  fal>e!  lit  is  himself  a  living  false- 
hood!  Your  father  is  dead  —  he  will  be  here  only  in  his  coil'm! 
That  cannon  announced  the  moment  when  the  executioner  did  his 
work'  " 

With  one  wild  scream,  Katharine  Walton  >ank  senseless. 

"  Fiend,"  cried  Balfour,  "  what  have  you  done?  " 

"Spoken  the  truth!  I  have  saved  her,  and  punished  //<»/.'  You 
wonder  that  Walton  perishes.  Know  that  when  you  gave  your  order 
for  a  respite  to  Alfred  Mouckton,  I  exchanged  it  for  one  in  blank, 
professing  to  do  so  by  your  orders." 

"  Woman,  you  have  been  guilty  of  murder!  " 

••  Hang  me  for  it,  if  you  dare!  I  overheard  your  bargain  with 
tlii-  poor  creature,  and  I  determined  to  save  her  from  such  a  mon- 

V.  ;  you  vould  willingly  surrender  your  own  charms  to  such  a 

iiion-'  iswered,  with  a  sneer. 

Nesbitt   Balfour!"  she    answered,   sternly.  "  You 

.  ilmt  an  hour  ago.     Now!     No!  no!     Never!     I  have 

.   pride  for  that:    too  much  scorn  of  so  base  a  spirit  as  that 

^irWch  you  bear,  to  link  myself  \vith  it  for  life.     I  would  sooner  link 

I  to  a  carca^!     And  she,  the   unhappy  minion  whom  1  have 

saved   from  this  doom  —  she  will  loathe  you  now  as  much  as  I  do. 

If  I  mistake  not,  your  bargain  is   void.     I   have  spoiled  that    very 

pretty  arrangement.     I  avow  the  deed.      If  mine  is  a  crime  which 

merits  punishment,  inflict  it  if  you  dare!     1  defy  you,  and  challenge 

you  with  all  your  power!  " 

ii  are  a  devil,  Moll  Harvey!  But  keep  your  secret.  ^  ou 
ha\e  done  mi-chief  enough.  For  this  poor  girl,  you  have  killed 
her." 

"  No!  no!  no!  I  have  xurtt/  her.  She  will  do  well  enough 
now.  Had  you  succeeded,  //""/  would  have  killed  her  by  a 
thousand  tortures;  for  1  know  that  she  loathes  \<>u.  1  saw  that 
in  the  choking  accent  which  declared  her  compliance,  and  1  re 
solved,  from  that  moment,  that  she  should  \\<>'  'Hired. 
From  that  moment,  I  pitied  her  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart. 
Away  now,  and  leave  her  to  me.  I  will  recover  her.  I  \\ill 
see  that  she  is  restored  to  her  haughty  but  honorable  kins 
woman.  And,  Balfour,  in  leaving  this  hou-e,  let  that  you  do 


n.  unless  3 

ami  know  that    I  deal  with  paa 

will  de- 

:  :  —  death  it-rlf   f..r  ami  v. 

I  could  li 
one  — 

•ly  nuailed  in  >pirit  befov 
!»•  had   :  fury.     There   was  a  story   and    r. 

I   \\hieh 

.-.LTound    in    t:  .     S 

for  the  s«,rn    which 

.  will  grow  wiser 

rmw.     Hut.  ju>t  now 

ill  v..u  linirer  ': 

'. 

"U  will  —  if  you  da:, 
and    lei  :  only    I.1 

mail 

:i  met    hi-   fate   with   «  firm- 

!-  nuwsion 
:'\t    for    ti 
could    not 

»*e  of 

.e    in-.st    : 
Ms     nfter    \Vn! 
Dr.    Kamsay,  old    Tom   >  with   thi:  .    sot 

i 
o!T  in  a  prison   ship  to  St.   AuiruMinr.   whi-re  they  were  kept  M 

hy    Cam;  •    was 

killed,    sonii-    time     after,    at    \.  •  i'.ridce.      Me 

fell  a  and  beadstitmg  wi: 


4  <  1  KATHARINE  WALTON. 

Campbell  vas  taken    prisoner,   disarmed,  an<l   placed   muler  thf- 
guanl    of  Nicholas  Yenning,  of  Christ    Church   parish,  who  \va*. 
ordered  to  kill  him  if  he  attempted  to  escape.      In   a   little  while 
after,  the   fortune   o!'  tho  day  begun   to  change  ;   the  Americans 
were  ahout   to  be  repulsed  ;    and,  seeing  this,  Campbell    her 
?r>    impatient    and    so   insubordinate  that,  after  repeated  th: 
ind  warnings,  Yenning1  put   his  orders   into  execution,  and  sle\\- 
iilin.    .  Here  ends  our  chronicle*. 

It  may  be  well  to  mention  that,  in  our  progress,  we  havod.-al! 
lar-'-elv  with  real  historical  personages.      Our  facts   have  m* 

I  J 

been  drawn  from  the  li\  iii£  records.    Our  dialn^uos,  our  incid. 
cur  }>ortraits,  have  mostly  a   traditional,  if  not   an   historical   ori- 
U-in.      AVe  may  add   that  many  of  the  details  in  the  narrative  of 
^'alton   have   been    borrowed    from    tho^e    in  the  cai'eer 
'      '         :.,'>brated    Colonel    Ilaync.      It   was    Ilayne   who    took 
- •••;  T>risoner,  as  described  in  our  story.     He  bimseK 

er  the  very  circumstances  given  in  the  case  of  ^'al- 
ti  •  .  and  ?!ie  (ieiails  of  the  execution  are  gathered  from  the  :;;'.' 
•it  hving  witnesses. 


m  p 


LOAN  DEPT. 


. 


>  21A-40m-L' 


nil  Library 
University  of  California 
Berkeley 


ru-ral  Library 

lifornia 


